Architects for years have been drawn to green

By CHUCK SODER

for Crain`s Cleveland

4:30 am, August 3, 2009

You can`t accuse Chuck Miller and Bill Doty of jumping on the bandwagon.

The owners of Doty & Miller Architects in Bedford were into environmentalism long before it was considered cool by the rest of the construction community — even before they got into the field themselves.

The two Kent State University graduates in 1970 attended a gathering at the university recognizing the first Earth Day. They began working on environmentally friendly projects soon after founding the firm in 1977 and took on more green projects as national interest began growing in the mid-1990s, Mr. Miller said.

There was no turning back by 2002, when the pair transformed the old Bedford post office into a company headquarters where Doty & Miller could showcase environmentally friendly designs.

“This is something that has really become a trademark for our business,” Mr. Miller said.

Today, 60% of the buildings that the firm designs receive green certifications or otherwise have a strong environmental focus, up from 25% three years ago, Mr. Miller said.

The rise in the popularity of green construction techniques over the past few years has been good to the 12-person firm, helping it endure one of the worst construction downturns in decades. Its sales this year should remain in the firm`s typical range of $1.5 million to $1.8 million.

Not only are government agencies and nonprofits pushing for more environmentally friendly buildings, but private companies and other building owners are starting to realize that green building can save money, Mr. Miller said, noting how the initial costs of building green are coming down while energy costs go up.

“People have learned to think in terms of longer-term costs,” he said. “If you spend a little more in the beginning, you can save lots in the long run.”