Many have looked to the LEED rating system to provide both the guidance for, and recognition of exceptional energy, water and material conservation. However, large barriers remain; the planning, modeling, implementation, measurement and documentation requirements of attaining a LEED designation can be daunting. Worse, many companies begin the process of having their building LEED certified, only to abandon the project due to lack of focus and uncertainty. While some companies are waiting for the streamlined documentation promised by LEED V4 (set to release in September), the real solution may be found in a more unlikely place – the Six Sigma methodologies originally developed by Motorola in 1986.
Six Sigma methodologies
Six Sigma is a business management strategy that seeks to improve the quality of process outputs by identifying and removing the causes of defects and minimizing variability in manufacturing and business processes. It uses a set of quality management methods, primarily statistical, to define a project and carry out a defined sequence of steps towards a quantified target (generally cost reduction or profit increase). These steps are known as DMAIC – Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control. All this is done in an effort to operate at Six Sigma quality levels, in which only 3.4 outputs out of 1 million are defective. In a time when New York’s Energy Benchmarking law found that the Chrysler Building, constructed in the 1930s, is more energy efficient than the newly constructed (and LEED Certified) 7 World Trade Center, a discipline that focuses on excellence in results might be exactly what the green building industry needs.
[pagebreak]Although Six Sigma had been developed for manufacturing processes, the principles are highly compatible with sustainability initiatives, and specifically, the LEED rating system. Instead of cost reductions, a simple shift in the focus to the environmental performance requirements set by the various LEED Credits would offer a perfectly quantifiable target. In addition, the collaborative management model that includes key employees, independent subject-matter experts, suppliers, and customers lines up neatly with the commissioning requirements of LEED projects. While the LEED reference guides outline different responsibilities for the levels of hierarchy on a project, a true collaborative model must be thoroughly understood and internalized to truly be successful.
Surprising compatibility
In fact, there is a surprising level of similarities between what the USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council) intended LEED to promote and what the Six Sigma methodologies actually uphold. In order to achieve points towards a LEED certification, extensive measurements must be taken on a variety of different metrics. Moreover, while a project team may, for example, measure a building’s energy consumption for 1 year of post-construction occupancy to achieve the credit points, having a Six Sigma mindset would let project teams see the real value in measurement and continuous improvement.