Putting sustainability into practice
"Green" is in these days, but we have a long history of working with owners and architects to implement green and sustainable projects.
Ranked third Top Green Contractor by Engineering News Record, we have a lot of green “firsts” to show for it:
- California Independent System Operator's LEED Platinum Certified Facility located in Folsom, CA
- McCormick Place Convention Center West Expansion in Chicago – one of the nation's largest LEED certified buildings
- Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. – the first LEED certified professional sports stadium
For these and other projects, our green/sustainable construction services include:
- Concept planning
- Feasibility studies
- Preconstruction services
- First-cost evaluation for lifecycle analysis
- Cost/benefit LEED credit strategies
- Construction management and consulting
- Materials and equipment procurement
- Development, financing, and turnkey delivery
- Construction and/or design-build delivery
An active role
We do not follow LEED certification requirements for the sake of a press release, and we do not simply implement the sustainable elements specified by others.
To us, “environmental responsibility” means taking initiative. This means rethinking every aspect of our business, from auditing our use of office supplies to rethinking how we dispose of construction waste. We have seen first-hand the environmental benefit of using recycled or regionally produced materials. That is why we have programs in place to maximize the use of these products on all of our projects.
Much of the steel Clark Foundations uses for sheeting, shoring, and soldier beams is recycled. We often purchase previously used steel and refurbish it for use on a project. If used for a foundation bracing system, for example, the steel can then be cleaned and reworked under the guidance of Clark’s engineers for future jobs. Clark Concrete also uses aluminum beams with a recycled plastic nailer strip instead of wood forms for shoring work. Specially marked dumpsters ensure proper recycling and jobsite removal of concrete and steel to reduce construction waste sent to landfills.
Used oil and hydraulic fluid is recycled as well, and a water recycling/purification plant cleans water used for steam-cleaning equipment for reuse.
Green community
Community service is a big part of who we are both as a company and as individuals. As part of these efforts, many of our employees make improving the environment a priority, from planting new trees in California to cleaning up riverbanks in Washington, D.C.
So whether it is building the next LEED Platinum certified structure, recycling jobsite construction materials, or picking up trash with fellow volunteers at a local park, we are making strides in large and small ways to protect our natural resources for the next generation.
Read more in the green issue of “Cornerstone,” Clark's employee newsletter; and Community Connection, a quarterly publication.
