When Minneapolis architect Doug Pierce first envisioned a few years ago a new building standard that could help measure the resiliency of a structure or community, he had imagined design that could help structures withstand extreme weather, economic upheaval and even sea-level rise. But worldwide pandemics weren't high on his list.
Now the coronavirus pandemic has shifted Pierce's way of thinking on how building resilience, sustainability and general wellness can address the current crisis and those in the future.
"COVID-19 has really had a huge impact on the way I see resiliency and sustainability. … What was it in the system that we were not prepared for this?" Pierce said in an interview Wednesday.
Pierce's RELi (pronounced rely) design rating and certification system and similar systems like the popular LEED and WELL building standards are all in the process of being re-evaluated for short-term as well as long-term changes in the face of the coronavirus emergency.
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and administered by its sister organization Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) system is the most widely used green-building rating system in the world. LEED standards focus on numerous factors including energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction and health.
This month, Minnesota was announced to have reached 100 million square feet of LEED-certified space.
Last year, the state ranked eighth nationally in terms of the amount of LEED-certified gross square feet per capita.
As a way to address the building-safety concerns raised in the current health crisis, the USGBC is updating LEED strategies to address factors that can affect the spread of the coronavirus such as indoor environmental quality, cleaning and risk management.