The Construction Manual is a single-point reference to guide owning agencies, designers, and contractors through the state's capital construction process. The manual helps assure that state facilities are efficient and economical without compromising quality. Various technical improvements will be made, with publication planned for January 2001.

• Sustainability policy and criteria will be integrated throughout the process -- from planning, design, and review through occupancy.
• The selection process for architects, engineers, and consultants and contracts for design and consulting services will include environmental sustainability criteria.

The State Construction Office supports environmentally sustainable design in state building projects and is committed to assist state agencies and universities in developing green building pilot projects. To ensure this support, sustainable design elements must be described and documented in the OC-25 request for funding package. The State Construction Office will work cooperatively with the owning agency throughout the process to protect sustainable design elements from cuts. Some forthcoming projects include:

• A new visitor center at Kinston's CSS Neuse Historic Site will be designed using sustainable building criteria.
• Three green pilot projects on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill.

Michael Rumble, file room manager, took the initiative to explain the need and get approval for the recycling of prints of architectural drawings submitted by designers. Previously, submitted drawings were placed in the garbage because the recycling company would not accept them. At this time, new bins have been dedicated for large rolls of prints of drawings. White paper, aluminum, and plastic containers are also being recycled.

When environmentally preferable building materials are evaluated and selected, a full picture of a material’s life cycle must be understood by the designer – including the resources used to make it, and how it is manufactured, used, replaced, and recycled.

This program began with an innovative purchasing process to evaluate manufacturers of carpet and select an environmentally preferable carpet that complies with all functional criteria. The Division of Purchase and Contract is developing new specifications for purchase of environmentally preferable carpet with input from the State Construction Office.

Research of other green building materials -- including floor tile, acoustical ceiling tile, partition systems, and paint products -- is now underway. This innovative purchasing process will influence and inform the selection of building materials for maintenance and renovation projects, and the writing of specifications for renovation and new construction projects designed by architects and engineers.

Descriptions of the holistic sustainable design process, including planning, budgeting, design, design review, construction, occupancy, maintenance, and renovation will be addressed. The estimated publication date of A Sustainable Building Design Guidelines for State Facilities is January 2001. Existing design guidelines and criteria on roofs and other systems will be revised to update technology and policy.