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Expertise and Teamwork Forges Relationships, Builds Buildings

What's going on here? American Institute of Architects (AIA) recognizes Wayne Morse Federal Courthouse in Eugene, Oregon and the IRS Pennway Complex in Kansas City as two of the top green buildings in the country in the past two years. Right on the heels of the AIA announcement, those same two buildings receive top honors in Building Design & Construction magazine's 2008 Building Team award program. Both buildings were constructed by JE Dunn Construction, headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri.

Something very good is going on here. And what's going on is simple: construction professionals are becoming inextricably woven into the design phase of new, green buildings. Construction's involvement during the earliest stages of development are resulting in some of the country's top sustainable structures. And contractors are being recognized for their increasingly important roles throughout the project.

"Recognition like this speaks volumes about the processes and procedures we've put in place to deliver green facilities like the Wayne Morse Federal Courthouse and Kansas City's IRS processing center", said Jenny Bloomfield Sciara, Manager of Sustainable Construction for JE Dunn.

"JE Dunn has been a proponent of sustainable building since we renovated the historic New York Life building in downtown Kansas City in 1996. That was just three years after the U.S. Green Building Council was formalized. Although the renovation didn't seek LEED certification, it incorporated a number of sustainable, energy-efficient elements that are commonplace in green building today."

"We've come a long way since those days as an industry and as a company focused on improving our construction methods and our environment. JE Dunn has put in place $2.2 billion of sustainably and/or LEED designed construction and currently has 208 LEED accredited professionals on staff", said Greg Nook, Executive Vice President of Marketing. "We've also introduced our corporate-wide initiative "Think Green, Build Blue" which addresses the vital role we play in wise stewardship of resources from within the construction industry. And we're moving rapidly toward implementation of a fully integrated project delivery method."

"While we're incredibly honored to have received such prestigious recognition from AIA and Building Design & Construction for both buildings, it's really a testimony to the collaboration, communication and teamwork of all stakeholders throughout the duration of these extremely complex projects."

"Projects the magnitude of Wayne Morse Courthouse and the IRS Processing Center don't happen overnight and they certainly don't happen in a vacuum. With every project we undertake, we continue to learn from our team members and solidify working relationships as we strive toward a common goal. The concentration and attention we give to what we do is a key component in our focus to become the best client-centered building partner in the United States."