Sustainable / Green

Watson-Forsberg has been building green before it was called building green. In short it is the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings use resources -- energy, water, and materials -- while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better site preparation, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal - the complete building life cycle.

Examples of our effective green building include

1. The most sustainable building is a reused structure. Watson-Forsberg has significant experience in renovating existing structures. The photo to the left is Martha Ripley Hospital on the National and Local Register of Historic Places. This renovated building was initially completed in 1915.
   This renovation and conversion of the Martha Ripley Hospital won a Community Impact Award in 2007.
2. Reduced operating costs by increasing productivity and using less energy and water in the St. Joan of Arc Church, which won a Governor's Award.
3. Improved public and occupant health due to improved indoor air quality at Ripley Gardens Multi-housing community.
4. Reduced environmental impacts by implementing a waste-management program which reduced construction landfill waste by about 75% at the Erickson Corporate Offices.
5. Pursuing LEED Certification for the Seward Co-op in construction and operation of a high performance green building in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
6. Watson-Forsberg has constructed Green Communities supported projects including The Wellstone, Ripley Gardens and The New San Marco.

We seek to achieve not only ecological but aesthetic harmony between a structure and its surrounding natural and built environment.