Sustainability

Sustainable design involves an integrated design process, not just selecting a few green products. Our design process looks at elements of sites and buildings as a whole and how each element responds to each other. This process applies an integrated, synergistic approach that includes the life cycle of the facility and building components. Our approach to sustainable design supports an increased commitment to environmental stewardship and conservation, and results in an optimal balance of cost, environmental, societal, and human benefits while meeting the mission and function of the intended facility or infrastructure. Our goals are to create a built environment that is comfortable, safe, and productive and avoids resource depletion of energy and environmental degradation.

Keystone Associates was one of the first firms in the Binghamton area to have LEED certified professionals and we recognize that buildings and sites consume large amounts of energy and resources, controlling this usage will play a major role in our quest for energy independence. Keystone Associates includes 6 LEED Accredited Professionals and a number of professionals pursuing accreditation.

We are committed to sustainable design efforts and advancing energy and environmental approaches in our practices. Our experiences include a wide variety of projects including our mechanical and electrical engineers providing design services (under their own previous consulting business) for the first LEED Certified public school in the State of New York. Other notable projects include MaineSource in Ithaca which has achieved LEED Silver Certification, the new Gault Toyota Dealership which is tracking for LEED Gold, and Sullivan County Community College’s G-Tech Green Technology Park which is geared towards LEED certified businesses. Keystone has also conducted LEED design charrettes for the Worcester Central School District as well as other commercial clients. We are also proud members of the U.S. Green Building Council.

In addition, Keystone Associates is a NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) Business Partner in the Commercial Lighting Program. Keystone can help design effective lighting in commercial area spaces and educate building owners on the benefits of effective energy-efficient lighting. Through NYSERDA, we have been successful in securing cost incentives for our clients.