Green Leader: James Newman

James Newman, managing partner at Newman Consulting Group, LLC has been in the business of making buildings greener since way before it became cool. He edged towards his current career of consulting with corporations and individuals interested in pursuing LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification for their buildings after years in the HVAC business and, circa 1990, being confronted with evidence of "sick building syndrome." One thing led to another, and Newman is now one of the top area consultants in the field of green building.

Newman recently made a "green building 101" presentation at a Detroit Urban Land Institute session and he spoke with metromode about the importance of spreading the message to building industry professionals. 

Newman is involved with the US Green Building Council who is already "very into it," he says. But when he is confronted with the reality that the concept of sustainability is not yet mainstream, he challenges himself. "I've heard, 'You guys are so involved with what you do that you have a tendency to forget that other people are not nearly as familiar with it as you are.'"

He likens the concept of sustainability to a three-legged stool; the legs are social, economic and environmental. "The economic really means that, if you build a green building, they will come. People understand it is a better building to be working in, that building is healthier, more productive."

Newman says the best way to go LEED without substantially increasing building costs is to go into the process with it in mind from the get-go – before a pen is ever set to paper. Newman calls this "intelligent integrated design" and says this way, it is possible to achieve LEED silver or gold with only a 1-2% increase in building costs.

Asked how he would convince a developer or company that was on the fence to go green, he talks marketability. "Early in the game, five years ago, a LEED-certified medical office building [in California] was 80% rented before they put a shovel in the ground. On top of marketability, you save money on energy and increase people's productivity." 

Another reason he says, is to be ahead of the law. Regarding a residential development certified LEED gold in New York City, Newman says the developer told him, "Our primary goal is to make money. We'll save money on energy and when all these new standards become law, in 6, 8, 10, 12 years, we'll already have one."

Locally, Newman says that more and more interest is bubbling to the surface. He is proud of the LEED EB (existing building) gold certification that LaSalle Bank headquarters achieved and also cites the Detroit School of Fine and Performing Arts in Detroit, the Ford Rouge Plant and the new Affirmations community center in Ferndale as prominent examples of LEED-certified buildings.

Newman is encouraged by increased interest, but wants his line of work to become ubiquitous. He recites a quote from Thomas Friedman, author of The World is Flat: "Green is the next red, white and blue."

Source: James Newman, Newman Consulting
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh