Portraying the Forest Service Image—Applying the Built Environment Image Guide to Administrative Sites

Applying the BEIG to New Leases, New Construction, and Major Improvement Projects

The BEIG should not be used as a "kit of parts," with features that can be selected and added to an otherwise ordinary structure. Instead, develop a unified vision of the desired image and performance of the structure and site so design characteristics can be created in response to that vision. Using this process, the structure and site are treated as a single entity whose features are chosen because they will achieve optimum appearance and performance through synergy (where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts). This process is called integrated design or whole building design (http://www.wbdg.org/wbdg_approach.php).

The most effective integrated design solutions are achieved by a multidisciplinary design team that works together from the earliest stages of planning. The design team should include architects, landscape architects, engineers, maintenance staff, representatives of the people who will occupy the building, and perhaps even the builder. Although team members who are not designers play a less intense role than the designers, the entire team works together to find optimum solutions.

Before any design work begins, the design team discusses and comes to a common understanding of how the building should look and function. Design goals and characteristics are discussed, agreed to, and recorded as part of the project documentation. These goals should be referred to while the design progresses and used when design conflicts occur, helping keep the design focused on the original goals instead of just fitting the systems and structures into the building envelope.

Implementing new leases, new construction, and major improvements is a complex process that often begins years before people can occupy the new or improved building or site.

Planning Stage

The first steps in each major project are gathering information about environmental and human factors that may affect the project and making basic decisions that will guide project development. The Pacific Northwest Region's Site Development Checklist (http://fsweb.r6.fs.fed.us/eng/firefac/site_checklist.htm) can be used to track progress and make sure that no important documentation or information is left out of the planning process.

Facilities Master Plan—Each unit's facilities master plan identifies generally where and what sort of facilities will best support the work program of the unit. The plan includes goals for acquiring, disposing, or changing the uses of facilities. Broadbrush BEIG goals should be included in the inventory and recommendation sections of a facilities master plan. Include language specifying which province or site design themes should be used and general goals for energy efficiency and green building, such as LEED certification. Information on developing a facilities master plan is available in the Facilities Toolbox at http://fsweb.mtdc.wo.fs.fed.us/toolbox/fmp/index.htm. The Missoula Fire, Science, and Technology Center Facilities Masterplan (http://fsweb.mtdc. wo.fs.fed.us/about/masterplan.pdf) shows one way to incorporate BEIG goals into a facilities master plan. The BEIG goals are in section III.A—Design Themes.

Preliminary Project Analysis—A preliminary project analysis identifies and evaluates a broad range of alternatives for accomplishing specific facilities changes recommended in the unit's facilities master plan. When establishing minimum requirements for alternatives, include BEIG principles to make sure that alternatives incorporate appropriate esthetics and function. Information about conducting a preliminary project analysis is available in the Facilities Toolbox at http://fsweb.mtdc.wo.fs.fed.us/toolbox/fmp/fmp06.htm.

Site Development Plan—As the broad guidance contained in the facilities master plan is refined into a site-specific development plan, use BEIG principles to guide placement and orientation of improvements on the site. Information about site development plans is available in the Facilities Toolbox at http://fsweb.mtdc.wo.fs.fed.us/toolbox/fmp/fmp09.htm.

Prospectus—The project prospectus, sometimes called a design narrative, describes project criteria and functional needs that are used to analyze alternatives, support funding requests, and design and develop the project. Detailed information about what should be in a prospectus is available in the Facilities Toolbox at http://fsweb.mtdc.wo.fs.fed.us/toolbox/fmp/fmp08.htm.

For small projects, the prospectus often is written by the facilities engineer with input from the managers and staff who will be using the building. For large or important projects, a charrette process may be the most effective way to identify parameters and assemble the information needed for the prospectus. A charrette is a creative, intense, collaborative process that harnesses the talents and energies of designers and others with an interest in the project to create a conceptual plan or design parameters for landscapes and/or structures. Because the charrette is a collaborative process, it also creates support for the conceptual plan or design parameters. Although considerable effort is required to set up a charrette and to record all the consensus decisions, a lot of work is accomplished in a very short time, usually just a day or a few days.

Charrette participants may include just the design team or may include people from the local community when there is high public interest in the project. A charrette with public involvement can help achieve community consensus on general project parameters while providing a chance for an interactive learning process between design professionals and the public.

More information on charrettes is available at the Facilities—Charrette Web page (http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/eng/programs/facilities/charette.htm). The page includes a link to the Web site of the National Charrette Institute, a summary of a Forest Service design team's charrette for the Lake George Ranger Station office renovation, and an explanation of the Eastern Region's public involvement charrette process.

Final project prospectuses should contain language that identifies:

• The desired relation of the structure to its site, occupants, and customers
  
  
• Sustainability and energy efficiency goals
  
  
• Life-cycle cost effectiveness requirements
  
  
• Province or local thematic design and architectural character guidelines

The prospectus for the Republic Ranger District office on the Colville National Forest in the Pacific Northwest Region incorporates specific references to the BEIG and BEIG principles, especially in section I. Introduction, part H. Forest Service Built Environment Image Guide (BEIG) and section III. General Requirements, parts A. Site and B. Architectural. The Republic prospectus can be viewed in the Facilities Toolbox at http://fsweb.mtdc.wo.fs.fed.us/toolbox/fmp/prospct2.htm.

Leasing—Lease proposals seldom get the same level of design attention as construction proposals. This is unfortunate because office leases tend to remain in effect for 10 years or longer. The public doesn't know whether our offices are owned or leased (figure 16), but they do notice whether our offices express our mission of caring for the land and serving people. The image portrayed by any Forest Service structure, owned or leased, should be in harmony with and complimentary to the natural environment and should reflect local building traditions. To make sure that this happens, the planning process should be just as rigorous for leased space as for owned space. Esthetic and sustainability requirements should be included in the project prospectus and transferred to the call for lease proposals. Including the requirements has two advantages:

• Prospective lessors will be more likely to offer appropriate space.
  
  
• The requirements from the prospectus can be used during the selection process to compare advantages of the proposals that are submitted.

Figure 16—The Nez Perce National Forest supervisor's office was
one of several similar leased offices in the Northern Region.
This building served as the forest headquarters from 1983 through
2007. Leased offices should conform to the BEIG so that a
uniformly positive Forest Service image is portrayed through
our administrative structures.

The relevant requirements from the prospectus should also be transferred to the lease contract. Doing so assures the requirements will be implemented as the structure is erected or outfitted for use by the Forest Service and as it is maintained over time.

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) developed standard language regarding sustainability and appearance for lease proposals (available through the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive at http://www.ofee.gov/eo/energy.htm). The standard language should be revised as necessary for each Forest Service project. For instance, section 4, General Architectural, contains a paragraph on the quality and appearance of the building. That paragraph should be modified to include a requirement that the building conform to the BEIG.

Other agencies have already used sustainability provisions successfully in leases. We can use their lease provisions, although some editing may be required. For instance, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) new 250,000-square-foot regional office in Denver, CO, is a leased building that meets LEED silver standards. The sustainability provisions of the lease solicitation for that building are available at http://www.epa.gov/greeningepa/content/projects/denver_ sfo_environ_508.pdf and http://www.epa.gov/greeningepa/content/projects/denver_sfo_environ2_508.pdf. To learn more about the building, visit the EPA's Web site at http://www.epa.gov/region8/about/newbldg.html.

Design Stage

The focus on BEIG principles can be lost if the design parameters emphasizing the BEIG don't get carried over from the planning stage into the design stage.

Design Prospectus—BEIG requirements must be included in the design prospectus. It is particularly important to do so when the design will not be done by Forest Service personnel. The design prospectus can be assembled relatively easily by adding information about required design work, process, timelines, and contacts to the project prospectus developed during the planning phase. The information in the design prospectus should be carried over into the design contract. Giving the designer a copy of the BEIG or a link to the Web version of the BEIG (/recreation/programs/beig/) is an effective way to ensure access to the information they will need to conform to the BEIG principles identified in the contract.

Integrated Design—Involve all members of the interdisciplinary design team from the beginning of the design process to ensure an integrated design. Designers can do a far better job of minimizing costs and maximizing building performance and esthetics when they work as a team. For example, site orientation (landscape architect), building configuration and envelope (architect), and electric- and daylighting choices (lighting engineer) have a much larger effect on electrical, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system costs than the mechanical and electrical engineers' choices of mechanical and electrical systems. For optimal building performance, all specialists need to collaborate on design choices and discuss the effects of the choices on building components throughout the design process. The Whole Building Design Guide explains more about integrated design (http://www.wbdg.org/).

Designing To Conform to the BEIG—Design professionals are just that—professionals. They should be familiar with all the techniques, technology, terminology, and principles of their profession. The BEIG is easy for competent professionals to understand. It contains plenty of information to help them design buildings that convey an appropriate Forest Service image, fit within each province, and incorporate sustainability. However, design professionals have a tendency to prefer certain systems, structures, and esthetics with which they are comfortable or which they regard as effective or desirable. Sometimes these preferences conflict with BEIG principles.

If a contract for design work includes the BEIG information from the design prospectus, it's fairly easy to redirect the designers during reviews if they have strayed from the desired design goals. The design prospectus can help Forest Service designers as well. There is more information on design reviews in the Design Reviews section of this report.

Designing for Sustainability— Sustainability is a big part of the BEIG. Information about sustainable design is available on the Whole Building Design Guide Web site (http://www.wbdg.org/) and in the Sustainability section of the Facilities Toolbox (http://fsweb.mtdc.wo.fs.fed.us/toolbox/sus/). The Forest Service Handbook 7309.11, 06.3.k (/im/directives/fsh/7309.11/id_7309.11-2007-1.doc) requires all new Forest Service district offices, supervisor's offices, visitor centers, research facilities, and climate controlled warehouses with 2,500 gross square feet or more to be registered and certified under the LEED rating system at the silver certification level. The Forest Service maintains a corporate membership in the U.S. Green Building Council (http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/eng/programs/facilities/sus_green/usgbc.htm), the organization that developed and administers LEED. A number of Forest Service design professionals are LEED accredited, which means they've passed a test and are recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council as having a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles. These individuals are listed at http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/eng/programs/facilities/sus_green/leed_acc.htm.

Designing a building to LEED silver standards sounds like a daunting task, but it doesn't need to be. For new construction, the following LEED prerequisites (requirements) and credits (points granted for sustainable practices that are not required) are available for items that already are standard practice in the design of Forest Service buildings:

• Prerequisite: Construction activity pollution prevention
  
  
• 1 credit: Site selection
  
  
• 1 credit: Protect or restore habitat
  
  
• 1 credit: Stormwater design
  
  
• 1 credit: 20 percent water use reduction (low-flow fixtures)
  
  
• Prerequisite: Minimum energy performance
  
  
• Prerequisite: Fundamental refrigerant management (CFC Reduction)
  
  
• Prerequisite: Storage and collection of recyclables
  
  
• 1 credit: Use locally/ regionally produced materials
  
  
• Prerequisite: Minimum indoor air quality performance
  
  
• Prerequisite: Environmental tobacco smoke control
  
  
• 1 credit: Indoor chemical and pollution source control
  
  
• 1 credit: Thermal comfort— ASHRAE 55–1992
  
  
• 1 credit: Daylight and views for 75 percent of spaces

In addition, the following LEED credits are available for items that are relatively easy to incorporate into the design of Forest Service buildings:

• 1 credit: Bicycle storage and changing rooms
  
  
• 1 credit: Parking capacity and carpooling
  
  
• 1 credit: Maximize open space
  
  
• 1 credit: Landscape to reduce heat islands
  
  
• 1 credit: Light pollution reduction
  
  
• 1 credit: Water-efficient landscaping (reduce 50 percent)
  
  
• 1 credit: Water-efficient landscaping (no potable water used)
  
  
• 1 credit: 30 percent water-use reduction (waterless urinals)
  
  
• Prerequisite: Building systems commissioning
  
  
• 1 credit: Optimize energy performance
  
  
• 1 to 3 credits: Building shell reuse
  
  
• 1 credit: Construction waste management (divert 50 percent)
  
  
• 1 to 2 credits: Reuse building materials
  
  
• 1 to 2 credits: Specify recycled content materials
  
  
• 1 credit: Use rapidly renewable materials
  
  
• 1 credit: 2-week ventilation flush before occupancy
  
  
• 1 credit: Increased ventilation
  
  
• 1 to 4 credits: Low-emitting adhesives and sealants, paints, carpet, composite wood, and agrifiber
  
  
• 1 to 2 credits: Controllability of systems

These credits alone are worth 26 to 34 LEED points. Silver certification requires 33 to 38 points. The requirements for earning points are very specific and the documentation requirements are complex, so LEED certification is not simple. Learn more about LEED at http://www.usgbc.org/ DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19.

Design Reviews—At each design review, make sure that BEIG requirements are being met. For example, during the design process for the new Republic Ranger District office (figure 17), designers were redirected at the 10-percent design stage and again at the 80-percent stage. Refocusing the designers on the requirements clearly laid out in the prospectus helped produce an office that met the District's needs. At the 10-percent stage, the architectural firm presented three building design options. One design option clearly met the BEIG requirements better than the others, but the architects preferred an option that they considered to be more adventurous. The architects were instructed to proceed with the option that met BEIG requirements. Despite their preference, they complied with the instruction because the BEIG requirement was in the prospectus and the design contract. A number of functional requirements also were not accommodated in any of the options. Because the requirements were recorded in the prospectus and included in the design contract, the unit was able to require the architect to change the design to include them. Changes made at the 80-percent stage are discussed in the Value Analysis section of this report.

Figure 17—The Republic Ranger District office in the Pacific Northwest
Region's Colville National Forest was constructed in 2005. It incorporated
BEIG principles into the design process, beginning with the project
prospectus. This view of the side entrance shows design details and
materials appropriate for the site and the Rocky Mountain province. The
entry allows fire personnel to enter and exit their work area outside
normal business hours without compromising the security of the rest of the building.

Specifications—Specifications should include requirements for materials and methods essential to implementing the design intent. They must be especially clear about materials and methods that differ from usual construction practices. If the specifications aren't adequate, contractors will use whatever methods and materials they prefer. The following Web sites contain specifications specifically written for sustainable design projects.

• The Federal Guide for Green Construction Specifiers is a joint product of the Federal Environmental Executive, the EPA, the National Institute of Building Sciences, and the Whole Building Design Guide. It contains "green" language that can be added to project specifications and is organized using MasterSpec numbering and conventions. The draft version is available at http://www.wbdg.org/design/greenspec.php.
  
  
• The following sections of MasterSpec, produced by the Construction Specification Institute and American Institute of Architects, are oriented toward sustainably designed buildings, although sections in every division cover newer, sustainable products, LEED submittal requirements for various materials, and so forth:
  
  
  • 017419—Construction Waste Management and Disposal
  • 017823—Operation and Maintenance Data
  • 017900—Demonstration and Training
  • 018113—Sustainable Design Requirements
  • 019113—General Commissioning Requirements
    
    
  MasterSpec is available at http://www.wbdg.org/design/masterspec.php.
  
  
• The Bessey Ranger District office in the Rocky Mountain Region was designed to receive LEED silver certification. Specifications for the Bessey office project are available as an example at http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/eng/programs/facilities/leedspec/leed_01a.htm. Other standard specifications used by several Forest Service regions are available at http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/eng/facilities/drawspec.htm.

Cost Estimation—The Life-Cycle Cost Effectiveness paragraphs in the Thinking Before Doing section of this report explain the value of and reasons for using life-cycle cost estimation. Where several design options are being considered, life-cycle cost estimates should be required for both inhouse and contracted design work.

The Rocky Mountain Region found that the initial cost of their modular bunkhouses increased about 20 percent when they improved the design by applying BEIG principles (figures 18 and 19). They chose to improve energy performance by meeting the International Energy Conservation Code requirements (http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/eng/code_council.htm) and required the contractor to supply ENERGYSTAR (http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.) appliances, light fixtures, heating and cooling systems, and windows. They anticipate the higher initial cost will be recovered over the life of the building through lower electrical, heating, and cooling costs.

Figure 18—This is one of the standard Rocky Mountain Region bunkhouses
that were constructed before publication of the BEIG. The bunkhouses
were functional but didn't look like Forest Service buildings and weren't
particularly energy efficient.

Figure 19—The Monument bunkhouse on the Pikes Peak District of the
Rocky Mountain Region's Pike and San Isabel National Forests is one
of several bunkhouses constructed after the standard design was
modified in accordance with BEIG principles. Both the image projected
by the building and its sustainability were improved substantially.

A life-cycle cost estimate would show the total cost of building construction and operation for both versions of the standard bunkhouse over the expected life of the building. It would allow comparison of the total cost of building and operating each version, rather than just the initial cost. Life-cycle cost calculation formulas are available in GSA publication, P-100, Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service (http://www.wbdg.org/ccb/GSAMAN/p100.pdf (20.7 MB)), on pages 24 and 25. Features that make estimated life-cycle cost comparisons relatively easy to accomplish also are included in the value analysis study workbook form that is available in the Facilities Toolbox (http://fsweb.mtdc.wo.fs.fed.us/toolbox/uva/).

Value Analysis—The Getting the Best Value paragraphs in the Thinking Before Doing section of this report explain the value analysis (VA) process. During the VA process, alternatives are evaluated against the performance criteria identified by the VA team. If BEIG principles have been incorporated into project documents throughout the planning and design process, conformance with the BEIG should be one of the VA performance criteria. For instance, during the VA at the 80- percent design stage for the new Republic Ranger District office, the team identified several changes to improve compliance. Among those accepted and carried forward to the final design were:

• Interior walls were relocated slightly to provide more light from the ridge skylights to the office areas (figure 20) and the building was rotated 22 degrees for better exposure to sunlight. These changes improved daylighting (the light that comes through windows and skylights), exterior views (figure 21), and the occupants' connection to the out of doors. They also will lower the building's life-cycle cost by reducing electricity costs for lighting and by providing some free solar heat during the winter.
  
  
• The floor plan was modified so that the reception area has a better connection to the office areas and affords better views of people entering the building.
  
  
• The footing elevation was raised to reduce excavation into bedrock and provide a better access grade at the entries.

More information about VA, including an electronic copy of the VA Study Workbook, is available in the Facilities Toolbox at http://fsweb.mtdc.wo.fs.fed.us/toolbox/uva/.

Figure 20—The skylights on the ridge of the roof of the Republic
Ranger District office in the Pacific Northwest Region's Colville
National Forest provide plenty of daylight to the middle of the
building even on a cloudy day.

Figure 21—The views from the Republic Ranger District Office of
the Pacific Northwest Region's Colville National Forest connect
employees to the outdoors, improving their morale and productivity. This
view is from one of the open office areas.

Contracting Stage

During the contracting stage, planning and design become reality. Details are extremely important. Poor contract documents, inadequate construction engineering, or failure to ensure that the building staff understands how the equipment works can undo the best intentions of those who planned and designed the structure.

Contract Documents—Besides the construction specifications, contract documents contain many pages of standard language that define the relationship between the contractor and the Government. They also define what happens if surprises occur during construction and if the Government and the contractor see things differently. Before the package goes out for bid, work with your contracting officer to make sure that nothing in the standard language conflicts with BEIG requirements. For instance, in some cases a clause concerning "value engineering" is included. If used, this sort of clause should clearly state that the Government is not required to accept the contractor's proposal even though it might save on initial cost if the proposal does not reduce the life-cycle cost of the structure or if it conflicts with esthetic or other design features that are important to the function or sustainability of the structure or that are important to portraying a Forest Service image based on the local ecological, cultural/social, and economic context (figure 22).

Figure 22—The stained wood siding and gently sloping metal roof of
the National Children's Forest Visitor Center at the Mountaintop Ranger
District of the San Bernardino National Forest in the Pacific Southwest Region
are appropriate for the dry pine forest environment of southern California's
mountains in the Southwest BEIG province. The tower looks just a little
like an old schoolhouse bell tower—appropriate for a structure dedicated
to educating children about forest management and providing opportunities
for them to share in real forest management work. This structure also houses
the Forest Service's Deerlick fire station. The engine bays are at the rear of
the structure facing away from the visitor center entrance.

Construction—During construction, make sure that change orders, substitutions, and finish choices don't compromise architectural character or sustainability. Often, contractors will ask whether they can substitute a cheaper or more readily available alternative material. A proposed substitute material that looks similar to the material that was specified might be less durable or less sustainable. Always check with the designer before finalizing any changes or choosing materials. This is particularly important if the building is to be LEED certified. One or two materials changes that don't meet LEED requirements could make the building ineligible for certification.

Waste Management and Recycling—Construction and demolition waste has value. "Gleaning" subcontractors sort leftover materials at construction sites and remove useful items, reducing landfill fees for disposal of unused and unwanted materials. Some construction companies have returned to the old practice of sorting materials at the end of each day for reuse rather than putting all the waste in the dumpster. For example, carpenters can use framing "ends" for blocking rather than cutting little pieces from fresh stock, saving material costs and landfill fees.

Bulldozing or burning an unwanted building gets results quickly, but doing so is often more expensive than deconstruction. Deconstruction means taking a building apart carefully so that useful components such as lumber, windows, doors, hardware, fixtures, drywall, flooring, and so forth can be reused or recycled.

Building deconstruction and construction site gleaning are profitable businesses in many parts of the country. The Forest Products Lab's Directory of Wood-Framed Building Deconstruction and Reused Building Materials Companies (http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fpl_gtr150.pdf) lists companies that may harvest antique wood or salvage nearly any component bigger than a nail in unwanted buildings.

The EPA's Construction and Demolition Debris Web site (http://www.epa.gov/wastewise/targeted/challenge/cbuild.htm) and the GSA's Construction Waste Management Database (http://www.wbdg.org/tools/cwm.php) also contain information on companies that haul, collect, and process recyclable and reusable debris from construction projects. These resources don't list every company that does this work, so check your local phone book, too.

Commissioning—Commissioning is a comprehensive, systematic investigation and tuneup process that examines all of a building's operating systems and ensures they are working as they should. The commissioning process also may include shepherding the entire design process to make sure that the building owner's needs and design parameters are met. Commissioning can include ensuring sustainable products are used, water is protected and conserved, indoor environmental quality is enhanced, and appropriate operations and maintenance practices are well understood and implemented.

Ideally, commissioning begins at the predesign stage and continues through construction and acceptance. It ensures that the building is constructed and will operate as intended and that it satisfies the owner's operational needs. A certified commissioning agent (http://www.bcxa.org/certification/index.shtm) usually is hired either by the construction contractor or the building owner to perform or coordinate the commissioning.

Commissioning is required for LEED certification and is beneficial for all complex projects. More information about commissioning is available at the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance's Web page (http://www.betterbricks.com/default.aspx?pid=commissioning). The GSA's Building Commissioning Guide (http://www.gsa.gov/gsa/cm_attachments/GSA_DOCUMENT/BCG_ 3_30_Final_R2-x221_0Z5RDZ-i34K-pR.pdf (15.5 MB)) explains standard commissioning practice for Government buildings.

Besides ensuring that the building is constructed properly and works as intended, the commissioning professional also may have responsibility for:

• Ensuring that the maintenance staff understands how the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system works, as well as other sustainability and energy-efficiency equipment and their controls.
  
  
• Ensuring that operations and maintenance manuals are complete and useful.
  
  
• Including a brief architectural character description in the operations and maintenance manual so future staff will understand the design performance standards and why the original equipment and systems were chosen. This will help the staff choose replacements that perform appropriately for the building design when the original equipment or systems must be replaced.
  
  
• Identifying specific materials (such as paint or shingles) that were used, so they can be maintained and replaced appropriately.

Commissioning isn't free—it usually costs about ½ to 1 percent of the construction cost. However, that is a relatively low cost to ensure that the building is energy efficient, environmentally responsible, seismically safe, accessible, secure, responsive to client needs, and that all the equipment and systems work well.

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