Greenwood aspires to build sustainable as 'next normal'

In a world struggling with a devastating pandemic and the burgeoning climate crisis, Kansas Citian Sara Greenwood sees an opportunity to adapt to the “next normal” by creating buildings that offer a more sustainable, healthy, resource-efficient and prosperous environment that improves quality of life.

“Now more than ever, the benefit of investing in high-quality, healthy buildings is critical to the community at-large. People want to feel safe returning to work, going to restaurants and moving into a new home,” Greenwood said.

The Kansas City businesswoman's passion and skill were recognized internationally as she was recently named a ‘2020 LEED Fellow’ by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI). Greenwood is among 25 professionals who represent exceptional practitioners and leaders within the green building community who have demonstrated mastery of the technical application of LEED, the world’s most widely used green building rating system.

As the principal and founder of Kansas City-based Greenwood Consulting Group, Greenwood is one of only three professionals earning this designation in the Midwest; and is the only professional who specializes in green building consulting services in the Kansas City metro area.

“I can’t imagine a better time to be a LEED Fellow,” said Greenwood, a 16-year veteran in the green building industry. “In a time where we’ve been forced to imagine the next normal, standards like LEED and WELL reinforce that designing and building healthy buildings matter –for the planet and for people.”

Greenwood has contributed to dozens of highly-recognizable projects in KC, including the new KCI Airport Terminal, Grand Place (the former Kansas City Star building), Lenexa Civic Center, Two Light, 1900 Building, Johnson County Library, the new Aquarium at the Kansas City Zoo, the Johnson County Medical Examiner building and seven new school buildings.

Greenwood’s work extends beyond the Kansas City metro with the REACH Building at Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, MGM CityCenter in Las Vegas, an expansion at the Georgia Aquarium, assorted FBI Buildings, Port of Los Angeles, and several higher education facilities nationwide.

To date, Greenwood has managed the certification of more than 100 LEED projects totaling more than 8 million square feet.

“Our work with the Lenexa Civic Center, which includes a Recreation Center, City Hall and public market, and the Johnson County Library, are iconic examples of taking a campus approach to achieve sustainable performance,” Greenwood said.

“The Lenexa Civic Center attracts thousands of people every year. It demonstrates optimal energy and water efficiency, daylighting design, and provides our community with a healthier, inviting experience. There are so many ways we can apply LEED concepts to improve not only how our city looks, but also to make it more efficient, healthy, and sustainable.”

The Greenwood Consulting Group is a certified women-owned business (WBE) that is one of the most sought-after sustainable building consulting firms, having managed projects from coast to coast.

 "It's interesting and inspiring to me to see how my clients across a wide range of industries genuinely care about achieving high-performance building standards," said Greenwood. “For my clients, LEED certification sets a high bar for ensuring that a building is actually designed and constructed to set criteria. My clients look to me to help projects achieve their performance goals.”

Other projects in Greenwood’s portfolio include:

·      Zappos Headquarters- Las Vegas, Nevada

·      Whole Foods stores in the South Pacific Region

·      Port of Long Beach- Long Beach, CA

·      University of Missouri NEXTGen Healthcare Building in Columbia, MO

LEED Fellows are nominated by their peers and must have made at least 10 years of exceptional impact on LEED and hold an active LEED AP with specialty credential, among other requirements. The evaluation process includes extensive portfolio review and is carried out by the LEED Fellow Evaluation Committee and supported by GBCI.

The LEED Fellow program was established in 2011 to recognize outstanding LEED APs who have demonstrated exceptional impacts with LEED in key mastery elements related to technical knowledge and skill; a history of exemplary leadership in LEED; significant contributions in teaching, mentoring, or research with proven outcomes; and a history of highly impactful commitment, service, and advocacy for LEED.

“The green building industry plays a critical role as we look toward rebuilding our economy and our communities in the months and years ahead,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of GBCI and U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

GCG's Sara Greenwood talks sustainability

This week’s broker spotlight showcases a different kind of broker - one who brokers environmental excellence, sustainable business practices and climate services for businesses across the Kansas City metro.

With over sixteen years of experience, Sara Greenwood, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP + WELL FACULTY, is a sustainability consultant with Greenwood Consulting Group (GCG). Greenwood helps teams manage the certification process to achieve their performance goals.

GCG, certified as a Women’s Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) in Kansas and Missouri, is working on the following projects:

Kansas City Airport, Grand Place (former KC Star Building), NextGen Building at the University of Missouri Columbia, St. Luke’s South Rehabilitation Institute, Johnson County Medical Examiner Building, Georgia Aquarium expansion, 9800 Metcalf Office Building, Brookridge Development and several K-12, multifamily and warehouse projects located coast to coast.

In this week’s MWM Broker Spotlight, Greenwood shares her passion and unique perspective behind emerging green building practices and technologies - especially interesting for clients pursuing green building certification and sustainable business initiatives.

RT:  What was your lightbulb moment to get into commercial real estate?

SG: When I see projects come to fruition and the building occupants are bragging about the sustainable building features that I worked hard to implement. I was in an elevator of a multifamily building in Anaheim next to a mom who was telling me she just moved into this building from down the street because she saw that it was LEED Certified and her child has asthma and she really wanted to ensure a healthy home environment.

RT (Rachel Treanor):  What gets you excited to get to work every day?

SG (Sara Greenwood): The diversity in my projects really inspires me to work each day. Also, I have a personal affinity for projects that benefit children and disadvantaged people in our community. I love to watch projects evolve from a design on paper through construction to completion. Then to attain a certification target because of my consulting expertise is very fulfilling!

RT:  What keeps you up at night about commercial real estate?

SG: Politics. Cuts on incentives to implement green building performance measures.

RT:  What does a Kansas City CRE Comeback look like to you?

SG: More emphasis on the health of building occupants and awareness that buildings impact our lives daily. People spend more than 90% of their time indoors. It is crucial to consider building health when we are talking about our own health.

RT: How can prospects contact you for more information?

SG: Sara@GreenwoodCG.com Cell: 415-602-9220 and our website is www.GreenwoodCG.com

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