September, 2008

Savannah sustainable real estate development company Launches
Green building Consulting division
Services will include guiding clients through LEED certification

(SAVANNAH) – Melaver, Inc. has officially launched its green building and LEED consulting services division. The 70-year-old, third generation family business was one of the first real estate companies in the nation to devote itself solely to sustainable design and development, has garnered numerous awards for its commitment to being stewards of land and community and has been at the forefront of some of the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) projects in the nation.

Melaver’s new venture into green consulting stems from a new twist on a very old idea: adding value. The company looks to share its value-centric orientation of being stewards of land and community while also creating value for its clients through higher-performance, healthier projects. Higher financial returns and enhanced social and environmental benefits come together in a sustainable value proposition that benefit a company’s financial bottom line.

Melaver’s own extensive work in green building provides clients the benefit of leveraging their actual experience with cutting-edge projects. The company’s hands-on development experience enables them to seamlessly coordinate any and all sustainable aspects of a project, freeing up valuable time for others on the design team to do what they do best. Melaver’s Integrated team approach supports all phases of a project, whether it is increasing sustainability of preliminary design or carrying a project completely through the LEED certification process.

Melaver’s projects have included the first all-retail LEED shopping center in the country, Abercorn Common, with the first LEED McDonald's worldwide. It has also developed one of the first LEED certified buildings in the U.S. that is also on the National Register of Historic Places, Current projects include Sustainable Fellwood, one of the first LEED neighborhood development projects in the nation for affordable housing. Melaver staff members frequently speak at conferences across the country about green building and sustainability, and sharing lessons learned. They have authored numerous articles and several books on being better stewards of the land and community.

Other services beyond pursuit of LEED points and documentation include: facilitating pre-development design charettes, helping to establish a shared vision for the project and project goals, analyzing a project’s carbon footprint, providing an energy audit as well as energy modeling, and commissioning. Melaver has a storehouse of knowledge, documentation, and research for sustainable materials and technologies it has used or vetted on past and ongoing projects ─ a huge benefit for clients trying to negotiate its way through the rapidly-changing market for sustainable products and strategies. 

Green Building Facts
In addition to lower utility bills, studies show green buildings provide for better worker productivity and often outperform non-green buildings in occupancy rates, sale price and rental rates. The cost difference is slim to none, and green buildings make for much smarter investments in the long run. As recognized experts in green building who frequently speak at national conferences, Melaver staff members can help other companies that will benefit from their expertise. 

What is LEED?
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification is the internationally-recognized standard for high performance, low water and energy use buildings awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council. The average LEED-certified building uses 32 percent less electricity and 36 percent less total energy than regular new buildings, with energy savings in the highest level LEED buildings approaching 50 percent. Water usage in LEED-certified buildings is on average 30 percent less than non-LEED buildings.

Contact: (912) 236-0781
www.melaver.com
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