Eco-Built by Marco

In keeping with our conservation spirit, Marco offers sustainable building solutions (SBS) to our clients as a basic service. We have adopted a 'triple bottom line' accounting method for our company, which in addition to economic vitality, emphasizes protection for the natural environment and the health of people, our greatest resource.

Marco employs an integrated project delivery (IPD) system of partnering with architects, engineers and clients to maximize a projects green potential and minimize cost overruns. Our project team first meets to discuss the SBS goals and how they can be achieved without negatively affecting the budget and schedule.

In addition to constructing green projects, we promote sustainability through in-house training programs and support of continuing education organizations including AIA Pittsburgh and the Green Building Alliance.

Sustainable Building Solutions

We are committed to supporting your business with building systems designed to reduce energy consumption, improve indoor air quality, and move buildings toward a more sustainable operations model with a lower carbon footprint. We provide comprehensive construction services, allowing you to implement the technologies, materials and financing solutions that will best suit your project.

SBS used by some of our clients include:

• Energy Management Systems allow tracking of energy usage and trends from one central location.
• Construction materials that consist of at least 10% recycled content.
• Cabinetry includes wheat board, a byproduct of wheat processing, instead of plywood
• Non-chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants are used in the cooling system to protect the ozone.
• Skylights (where applicable) to harvest daylight for 90% of the store.
• Reflective roof, helps prevent absorption of heat from the sun and keeps the store interior cooler.
• Daylight and occupancy sensors, which reduce energy use.
• 100% Energy Star rated building equipment and appliances.
• Green Power purchases to supplement electrical use.
• Interior finishes made up of low VOC emitting materials and finishes.

Integrated Project Delivery

At the heart of the IPD process is the creation of value through long-term relationships. We work closely with our project partners and clients to establish a trust-based team. Our partnership begins with the owners business plan. The team’s goal is to see how we can work more efficiently, to finish a project faster and at a lower cost than the owner’s budget specified, thus adding value to the project and improving the building’s performance.

Lowest bid does not equal the lowest final cost or best value. The price of constructing a project is small in comparison to the life-cycle costs of its operation. With IPD, many projects can also be completed with only a few change orders, and have no claims at the end of a job.

Shades of Green

There are many ways to go green. We carefully manage both the economics and ecology of every project, and assist our clients through a range of possible options.

Green Renovation – Perhaps your company can't afford to build or relocate to a new green building, but that doesn't mean you have to skip the green upgrades. Even retrofitting your workspace to meet current efficiency standards can lead to significant improvements in your company's image and bottom line. The beauty of a green retrofit is that it can occur in stages. In fact, your company can use money that's already been budgeted for building maintenance and improvement to start going green.

Green Construction - A green building may cost more up front, but saves through lower operating costs over the life of the building. The green approach applies a project life cycle cost analysis for determining the appropriate up-front expenditure. This analytical method calculates costs over the useful life of the asset. Cost savings can only be fully realized when they are incorporated at the project's conceptual design phase with the assistance of an integrated team of professionals. The integrated systems approach ensures that the building is designed as one system rather than a collection of stand-alone systems.

LEED – LEED certification, which includes a rigorous third-party commissioning process, offers compelling proof to you, your clients, your peers and the public at large that you've achieved your environmental goals and your building is performing as designed. Getting certified allows you take advantage of a growing number of state and local government incentives, and can help boost press interest in your project. To assist in obtaining USGBC certification, we have a LEED specialist on staff with experience in commercial and institutional projects. During construction, we carefully track the spec requirements and provide documentation for the approval process.

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