Johnson Braund - Sustainable Building Design

This month we are pleased to have Steve Allwine of Johnson Braund, a local Architecture firm that specializes in sustainable design. Steve is Johnson Braund’s Marketing and IT Director. He also leads the organization’s effort into ‘more-sustainable’ design. His background includes working as a TV News Producer at a CBS affiliate, radio announcer at KOMO radio and a writer at KOMO TV. He also serves as Treasurer at the regional chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Science and is currently becoming LEED-AP certified.

Johnson Braund Design Group, Inc. is a Seattle-based Architecture and Design firm. For over 30 years, they’ve been designing hotels, apartments, banks, and parks across the United States. They serve as lead prototype designer for a number of Marriott brands and have thousands of projects spanning 42 states. Their local designs include a number of the Senior Housing Assistance Group (SHAG) apartments, Banner Banks, along with the Tukwila’s Macadam Winter Garden, named 2008’s ‘Best Park’ by the State’s Park & Recreation Association.

Over the past two years, Johnson Braund has been focusing on implementing efficiency upgrades to their facility. Steve has lead this effort and designed a number of the systems involved. In less than a year’s time, they’ve been able to cut their grid consumption by 50%. To do this, they’ve invested in insulation upgrades, a hybrid multi-fuel heat pump system, heat recapture, LED lighting, daylighting, occupancy sensors and in one of the largest privately owned PV arrays (10Kw) in the state. They’ve been awarded a National EnergyStar award from the EPA for their efforts, and are currently undergoing certification for both an EnergyStar Building and becoming one of the first LEED Platinum O&M buildings in the nation. All of the upgrades offer a solid return in investment, ranging between a few months to 10 years, so they also make sound business sense.

Renewable energy is important to embrace, but making sure to not waste that energy is paramount. Steve will explain the reasoning behind their system, unique features, how they went about it, and how they’re pushing for the same improvements to their wide range of clients.

We have another stellar speaker this month, I hope to see you on the 26th!