MOUNT OLIVE -- When it comes to developing high-efficiency, environmentally-friendly building designs, Mackenzie Keck Inc. is putting on its "Global Thinking" cap.

The Mount Olive-based Mackenzie Keck -- a leading national provider of general contracting, construction management and consulting services for upscale retail sites and a variety of other enterprises -- recently acquired the "green building" consulting firm Global Thinking LLC, which offers consulting and construction services on the latest green building technologies.

Global Thinking is led by longtime green building consultant and architect Frank Sherman, who said the time is ripe to promote the latest green technologies. Sherman said there are many advantages to going green, from saving energy and maintenance costs to providing a healthier environment for people to work and live in.

"The value of high performance green building is greater than its environmental and economic benefit," said Sherman, who serves on the board of directors of the 11,000-member U.S. Green Building Council, which has developed numerous green building design guidelines. "Green building represents the new benchmark for quality design and construction."

Sherman, who has more than 20 years of experience as green building consultant and architect, said the benefits of a green building design are especially evident over the long-term when considering that lighting, cooling and maintenance comprise as much as 85 percent of a building's 50-year life-cycle cost.
Green buildings are proving not only more efficient, but also holding their value better than traditional designs, Sherman said. Research has found green buildings average a 7.5 percent increase in value over comparable standard buildings, with a 6.6 percent better return on investment.

Sherman noted that green buildings are providing healthier, more pleasant environments for their occupants. He cited a study showing schools that implemented green building design elements, such as superior ventilations systems, have had student test scores improve. Studies are showing green buildings, with their improved air quality, can increase worker productivity and reduce the number of sick days taken by employees.

Sherman said the current green building movement can be traced back to about 10 years ago with the establishment of the U.S. Green Building Council. An earlier green building movement, he said, took off during the 1970s when alternate energy forms such as solar power were developed in the face of the gas crisis. As oil prices steadied during the 1980s, the green building movement wavered for a period of time.

Sherman believes the current green building movement will only continue to grow. Unlike the earlier movement, Sherman said people are now concerned not only about energy costs, but also buildings' impacts on the environment and climate change.

"Since buildings use about 40 percent of all electricity and energy resources in this country, green building designs is one of the things people can focus on to less their impact," he said.
Mackenzie Keck, headquartered in Mount Olive's Hackettstown section at 434 Sandshore Road, is currently working to develop green building designs with several major clothing and lifestyle retailers, as well as developers of modern homes.

Mackenzie Keck President Vikram Reddi foresees a day in the not distant future when green building will be the norm in the construction industry.

"There is a synergy now forming between architects, store designers and customers, all of whom are becoming more eco-conscious," Reddi said. "Green building is clearly fashionable, but there's more to this trend. Developers and other businesspeople are realizing that green is critical from a bottom-line perspective. A green building is a better-crafted, improved performance building with better long-term value."

The acquisition of Global Thinking continues a history of Mackenzie Keck promoting environmentally friendly building concepts. Mackenzie Keck founder and CEO Dan Keck was recognized by the Rainforest Alliance for the use of sustainable products in a major project for The Body Shop. Just recently, Keck was involved in a Concrete Design Studio project where water used in the production of concrete products is being recycled within the facility.

Keck envisions innovative green designs only continuing to expand with the acquisition of Global Thinking. "With the addition of Global Thinking, green building is clearly becoming a major focus of what we do each day," Keck said. "It's our responsibility to make good choices available to our clients."

Staff Writer Kevin Lechiski can be reached at (908) 852-3397 or klechiski@njnpublishing.com.
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