Smith College’s Kahn Institute in Northampton invited Dietz & Company Architects to speak at its research colloquium in March 2008. Marc Sternick, AIA, LEED AP and Blake Williams, AIA were visiting scholars at the meeting for faculty and student fellows in the Sustainable Houses, Homes and Communities project. Using their experience, the two architects spoke about building green strategies and how environmental considerations need to be incorporated into every phase of the building process. This includes design, energy and materials/resources considerations.
Dietz & Company Architects has been ahead of the curve in advocating for energy-efficient building techniques and practicing green design. Its portfolio includes a number of projects that have surpassed EnergyStar® certification requirements and have been designed using highly durable, low-maintenance materials. Dietz & Company Architects is currently designing several green buildings; with the Springfield YWCA slated to be designated LEED Silver.
Marc Sternick, the firm’s Vice President, has been studying energy efficient building techniques since 1978 and received a BS in Passive Solar Design in 1981. Marc’s recent work on Holyoke’s Churchill Neighborhood surpassed EnergyStar® certification requirements while his Village at Hospital Hill project achieved EPA’s highest rating for energy efficiency.
Blake Williams, a Project Manager at Dietz & Company Architects, has experience working on green projects locally and in Michigan. He also teaches at Mt. Holyoke College and Hampshire College and is a published author. In 2000, Blake was invited to exhibit one of his projects at the World Conference on Sustainability in Seoul, Korea.