Innovation, Technology & Sustainable Design:

An Owner’s Perspective

Mark NelsonDeputy Commissioner

Division of Capital Asset ManagementOffice of Facility Maintenance

March 29, 2011

What is DCAM?

• State agency that provides space to other state

agencies – mostly by construction, but also

through leasing

• About 230 FTE in DCAM

• Responsible for public building projects requiring

study, design, and construction – awarded to

lowest responsible bidder

• Don’t do college dorms or highway buildings or

vertical construction

• Starting to use BIM and testing IPD

• We have two ZNEBs in the works

Typical Projects

Courthouse Worcester Holyoke Community College

Courthouse Plymouth Westfield State College

DCAM and Sustainability

• All DCAM new construction projects will be LEED

certified – Silver is the lowest level we seek

• DCAM has numerous comprehensive energy projects

underway that upgrade older buildings and campuses

• We strive to meet the Governor’s goals for renewable

energy, energy efficiency, and greenhouse gas

reduction.

Technologies In Use or Under Consideration

• Solar power

• Wind power

• Solar thermal

• Geothermal

• Co-generation

• Tri-generation

• Green roofs

• Storm water harvest

• Fuel cell

• Bio-fuel and gasification

• Microturbines

• And more….

Some Issues

• We can get LEED, but can we keep LEED?

• Can “Gus the Janitor” deal with LEED?

• Can “Gus the Janitor” deal with BIM?

• How can we get the user to budget for the capital expense of the future, e.g. turbine overhaul?

• Are we really aware of the maintenance involved with these new technologies?

• How far do we push the planners/designers to think beyond their comfort zone with new sustainable technologies?

• How do we get the data from the installed equipment to maximize opportunity, e.g., RECs?