Whether it's a real desire to reduce the environmental footprint, or simply to protect it from rising costs, energy efficiency is becoming an important organizational goal for many companies across the country. To achieve these goals, companies are looking for ways to build their own buildings. Design and / or operate to consume as little energy as possible. Many people have been seeking LEED rating systems to provide guidance and recognition for the protection of special energy, water and materials. However, there are still significant obstacles; obtaining planning, modeling, implementation, measurement, and documentation requirements for LEED designs can be daunting. To make matters worse, many companies began to certify their building LEEDs, simply giving up on projects because of lack of focus and uncertainty. While some companies are awaiting a simplified document promised by LEED V4 [scheduled for release in September], the real solution may be found in a more incredible place - the Six Sigma method originally developed by Motorola in 1986.
Six Sigma Methodology
Six Sigma is an enterprise management strategy designed to improve the quality of process output by identifying and eliminating the cause of defects and minimizing the variability of manufacturing and business processes. It uses a set of quality management methods [primarily statistical methods] to define the project and perform a series of clear steps [usually to reduce costs or increase profits] for the quantified goal. These steps are called DMAIC - definition, measurement, analysis, improvement and control. All of this is done at the Six Sigma quality level, with only 3.4 of the 1,000,000 outputs being defective. The New York Energy Benchmark Law found that the Chrysler Building built in the 1930s was more energy efficient than the new [and LEED-certified] 7 World Trade Center, and the focus on excellence in this discipline may be what the green building industry needs.
Although Six Sigma has been developed for the manufacturing process, these principles are highly compatible with sustainability programs, especially LEED rating systems. Rather than reducing costs, simply shifting focus to the environmental performance requirements set by various LEED Credits will provide the perfect quantitative goal. In addition, collaborative management models including key employees, independent subject matter experts, suppliers and customers are fully aligned with the LEED project's commissioning requirements. While the LEED Reference Guide outlines the different responsibilities of the project hierarchy, it is necessary to thoroughly understand and internalize the true collaboration model to be truly successful.
Amazing compatibility
In fact, the USGBC hopes that there is a striking degree of similarity between what LEED promotes and what the Six Sigma approach actually supports. In order to achieve the LEED certification points, a wide range of measurements must be made for a wide range of indicators. In addition, for example, although the project team can measure the energy consumption of a building for one year after building to obtain credit points, having a Six Sigma mindset allows the project team to see the actual metrics and values. Continuous improvement.
Another example is the adjusted weight provided by USGBC for different credit categories of LEED. To show that energy efficiency is more important to overall sustainability, there are more points available in the energy and atmospheric credit categories than in other credit categories. While most people understand and agree that energy efficiency is indeed the most important factor in building sustainability, if you measure and analyze through the Six Sigma process, you will see what results the rating level will produce.
The green building industry must also recognize another important fact - despite the tremendous growth, there are still a large number of construction companies and building owners who are reluctant to accept LEED because they do not recognize economic interests. A rigorous and quantifiable analysis of the Six Sigma methodology can help reveal economic returns and show late adopters that there is little economic interest in not investing in effective and sustainable design and operations. Rather than simply trusting utility model savings based on energy models, training in the Six Sigma approach will enable everyone to understand the content of the measurements, the way they are measured, and the results of the improvements. All companies can benefit from applying the Six Sigma approach to these types of challenges and will gain clear economic benefits.
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Transfer concept
Finally, the shift in managerial and employee attitudes may be the biggest contribution that Six Sigma can provide to the green building industry. USGBC hopes that the leaders and owners of the LEED project are convinced that sustainable measures and tools are worthwhile. But now, they rely mainly on tax and marketing interests rather than a true understanding of the problem. This success is impossible without the proper skills acquired through Six Sigma certification. Not only can they eliminate the inefficiencies that lead to unsustainable practices, but they also have the tools and data to better manage energy use and have a clear picture of ROI.
With more business models and government initiatives created based on expected energy efficiency, the industry should now be aligned with established systems to achieve perfect results. This shift can also bring greater courage and greater enthusiasm for economic and environmental sustainability benefits.
Orignal From: What can the green building industry learn from Motorola?
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