The services offered by Macro Design Studio are applicable to all sustainability protocols available on the market.
Our team guarantees its support from the initial pre-assessment phase, the development of the design and construction phases, up to the obtaining and maintenance of the certification.
Pre-assessment.
Preliminary sustainability assessment of a real estate intervention, performed through a workshop with the Client, the design group and coordinated by an accredited professional. The target is the assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of the project and the level of certification that can be achieved, identifying possible road maps for improvement.
Design phase consulting.
Coordination of the design group, verification of criteria and drafting of the evidences required for the certification during the design phase. The consulting activity also includes the draft of bidding documents with the delivery of performance specifications in relation to the pursued certification.
Construction phase consulting.
Coordination of the contractor activities carried out during the construction phase, verification of the criteria and drafting of the evidences required for the certification during the construction phase. The consulting activity also includes site visits, advising in the selection of materials, drafting of construction site-related management plans in relation to the pursued certification.
LEED for Homes and LEED Residential certifications consulting.
Consulting activities as LEED AP Homes, on-field testing and verification as LEED for Homes Green Rater and Qualified Energy Rater, energy modelling and simulation to retrieve the ENERGY STAR HERS Index in order to certify residential buildings or similar use (e.g. elderly centers, students dormitories, etc.), both single-family and multi-family.
Works Supervisor.
Supporting the general Works Supervisor in the activities related to the certification process during construction, through the approval of the material data sheets and monthly inspections on site.
Commissioning Authority and Enclosure Commissioning Agent.
Quality assurance process, from the design phase up to handover, which certifies that the building and all related systems, subsystems and envelope are planned, designed, installed, tested, put into operation and managed in accordance with the performance target and functional requirements requested by the customer.
Energy modelling and daylight simulation.
Energy modelling is an evaluation tool that allows to estimate the energy consumption of the building, CO2emissions, peak demand, energy costs and renewable energy production. Using specific dynamic simulation software, it is possible to develop preliminary energy models to support designers with an integrated design perspective – i.e. IPc Integrative Process, advanced energy models according to ASHRAE 90.1, App. G standard – as required by EAp Minimum Energy Performance prerequisite, EAc Optimize Energy Performance, EAc Renewable Energy Production credits, and daylight simulation to evaluate natural light for the EQc Daylight credit.
Blower Door air tightness testing according to ASTM E779 and ISO 9972 standards with Blower Door equipment and TECTITE Express software.
The Blower Door is a test to verify the air exchange flow of the building envelope. It is used in both new construction and renovations and allows for field verification of the building’s construction quality.
When the building is completed, the Blower Door allows the air leakage of the building envelope to be detected and the air exchange rate to be evaluated through the ACH50 value (Air Changes per Hour at 50 Pa). The ACH50 value is realized as the average of the pressure and depression test and provides quantification of the exact energy losses due to uncontrolled room ventilation.
The final report is also used for compliance with certain criteria and performance required by sustainability protocols such as CasaClima, Passivhaus, LEED, BREEAM, etc.
Consulting for tenders and competitions.
Support and assistance during the tender or competition phase as accredited professional according to the required certification scheme.
Consulting on Minimum Environmental Criteria (Italian “CAM”).
Support and coordination of the design team in drafting the report of the Minimum Environmental Criteria (“CAM”) by a professional that is certified by an assessment body according to the international standard ISO/IEC 17024.
Screening and mapping of sustainable products.
Product verification according to the specific criteria required by the identified protocols and final compliance report. If required, drafting of contents for technical brochures and information to be included on the manufacturer’s website.
Training for companies and professionals.
Organization and coordination of training meetings, webinars, events and conferences about sustainability and innovation.
WELL Performance Testing Organization and Performance Testing Agent.
Macro Design Studio is a WELL Performance Testing Organization and provides on- field verification services through its WELL Performance Testing Agents to obtain the WELL v2 certification. The Performance Verification includes visual inspection, execution of air quality tests, water quality, lighting, thermal and acoustic comfort.
LEED® Proven Provider™
Macro Design Studio is LEED Proven Provider and this acknowledgment allows to have simplified and streamlined revision processes to achieve the LEED BD+C certification of its own projects.
ESG Criteria Assessment
Our consulting services have expanded to guide and support our clients in assessing ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) criteria. ESG criteria allow for the precise measurement of a company’s environmental, social and governance performance, based on standardised and agreed parameters. These criteria, which are then used by investors to assess and guide investment choices, take the form of a set of operational standards that must inspire a company’s actions in order to guarantee the achievement of certain environmental, social and governance results. ESG performance can also be certified by rating systems such as GRESB (Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark), the most accredited global sustainability rating system.
