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Q&A with Director of Sustainability, Saheed Imoru

by Kat Phelps, Marketing Manager

Saheed Imoru, LEED AP BD+C joined DBR in March and serves as Director of Sustainability. He manages the firm’s sustainability and net zero initiatives and has a wide range of project experience including K-12 facilities, hospitality, laboratories, commercial office buildings, and manufacturing/distribution warehouses. With over ten years of experience practicing sustainable design in the A/E/C industry, Saheed has been involved in establishing energy benchmarks, performing energy management, solar feasibility studies, and designing net zero energy buildings.

Saheed attended the University of Pittsburgh where he obtained his Bachelor of Science in Architecture. He is a member of ASHRAE and has developed an understanding of architecture, energy modeling, and building operations.

In his free time, Saheed enjoys studying philosophy, sports, traveling, and eating.

Saheed is well-versed in the latest building systems and sustainable design strategies. He is an expert on building energy modeling and believes that energy modeling has potential benefits for all types of projects. He works hard to assist our clients and make the best, data-driven decisions for their facilities.

Q&A with Saheed:


Q:
What are the most cost-effective ways to design for net zero ready buildings?

A: Plan early. The sooner the better. Starting with a goal sets the table for the entire project. Planning at the earliest stages of design allows for good decisions to be made early when it is most cost effective.

Q: How can building owners be more conscious about decisions leading to environmental impact?

A: Owners should consider the total cost of ownership, rather than just the initial bottom line. In this industry, it is common for the initial construction budget to determine many aspects of the design. Many decisions are made with only the immediate cost in mind. Owners can save themselves some headaches and increase the value of their project by planning for the long run. Thinking of how a building functions and what makes it most valuable in the long term leads naturally to a sustainable design.

Q: What do you see as key opportunities in the near future and what have you found yourself focusing on most?

A: Collaboration among the design teams is key. The Net Zero design initiative needs all of DBR’s designers and the architects they support to work together to reach the goal. As I am getting familiar with DBR I believe the key to reaching the goal is the collaboration of the entire team to drive efficient design. My current focus is observing workflows and developing new templates and processes to allow our teams to work together better and make smarter decisions at the right times.

Questions? Contact Saheed:
Saheed Imoru, LEED AP BD+C
Director of Sustainability
713.914.0888
[email protected]

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