Forging Ahead in Green: McCarthy Leads Building Industry in New Program for LEED AP BD+C

ST. LOUIS —McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. (www.mccarthy.com), one of the nation's top green commercial builders, has announced the firm's formal commitment to the Green Building Certification Institute's Credentialing Maintenance Program for the firm's 400+ LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED APs). Credential maintenance is the continuing education completed by LEED Professionals to maintain current knowledge of green building practices and LEED in a constantly evolving industry.

“McCarthy's investment in continuing education underscores the company's commitment to both its employees and its customers,” said Beth Holst, Vice President of Credentialing for the Green Building Certification Institute. “Credential maintenance keeps LEED APs at the forefront of the green building field.”

“Since the release of the version 3.0 of the USGBC LEED certification and credentialing programs, there has been hesitancy within the general design and construction industry regarding its adoption,” explained McCarthy Vice President — Quality and Sustainability Chad Dorgan. “McCarthy, on the other hand, has taken a leadership role and is committed to forging ahead to provide world-class sustainability education for McCarthy employees. This is a key company initiative and, quite simply, the right thing to do.”

Now, through the McCarthy Green Curriculum, all of the firm's 400+ LEED APs will complete the required 30 hours of training over the next two years to maintain the new LEED AP BD+C (building design and construction) credential. Different from existing green training programs, the McCarthy Green Curriculum is unique, presented from the builder's perspective and focused on what McCarthy and the building team can do during design, construction and operations to have a positive impact on the sustainability of the project.

In addition to employee training, McCarthy's commitment to sustainability requires continual review of day-to-day operations. McCarthy has also implemented the following:

Policies — McCarthy has established office, field, wellness and transportation policies to track and reduce the firm's impact on the environment.

Carbon Footprint — McCarthy has adopted a carbon footprint methodology and is working towards a 5% reduction over the next five years.

Leadership — In addition to sustainable leadership at the national level, each McCarthy project has an identified sustainability leader and champion.

“Building green is here to stay,” continued Dorgan. “Over the next three years alone, we anticipate a 1,125% increase in LEED certified McCarthy projects. Supporting the GBCI Credential Maintenance Program is one important way to keep McCarthy builders at the forefront of this ever-changing industry.”

About McCarthy
McCarthy is one of the nation's oldest and largest privately held commercial construction companies and among the nation's Top 20 Green Construction Companies in America (Engineering News-Record). More information is available online at www.mccarthy.com.