Getting Greener
When asked what the biggest change to the firm’s work has been in recent years, Jensen doesn’t hesitate. She says the number of clients asking for sustainable or green features in designs has increased exponentially in the last few years. “Three years ago, there were a few projects that came in, now every single project ... they at least have a nod to sustainability if they’re not asking for LEED-certified,” Jensen says.

OZ Architecture is making sustainability a priority as a result, with the goal of having all of its 31 principals LEED-accredited before the end of the first quarter of 2008. The firm’s dedication to the principles of sustainability extends beyond the work it does for clients, however. Green has become the color of choice inside OZ’s offices, according to Shelly Cockrell, a LEED AP designer for the firm.

Cockrell says OZ has undertaken a number of initiatives designed to show clients that when it comes to green design, the firm definitely practices what it preaches. “We’re doing a lot to raise awareness of sustainability in the office,” she says. 

For example, the staff is encouraged to either ride bicycles or take public transportation to the office, and the firm tracks the amount of pollution offset by that. To date, Cockrell says, the firm has kept 26,700 pounds of carbon out of the atmosphere through its efforts. The firm also invites distributors into the office weekly for demonstrations of new eco-friendly products and materials. Low-volume toilets and plumbing fixtures in the office cut down on water usage.

A ‘Regular Practice’
Cockrell says she doesn’t see the green trend slowing down with OZ or its clients. “It’s become more of a habit and regular practice than just to gain LEED points,” she says. “On the interiors side of it, a lot of it has to do with low-PFC products, but sustainable design incorporates a lot more than that.” OZ has found ways to make the design of the space serve contribute just as much to the sustainability of a project as the materials used in its construction. 

The firm has taken to incorporating elements such as larger windows to allow more natural lighting, eco-friendly wood products and reflective materials to make the most of natural light.

Sustainable design has been a part of the firm’s repertoire since the 1990s, when it designed facilities for the National Park Service at the Grand Canyon, Yosemite and other national parks. These early examples of sustainable design included features such as solar panels, recycled materials and self-sustaining energy systems. That led to the firm being selected to develop the national design guidelines for the U.S. Forest Service.

Current projects that heavily feature sustainable design include the new City and County of Denver Detention Center.

Growing Pains
OZ has recently experienced some significant growth, and Bershof says this has been a balancing act to keep the firm’s culture and quality in place while growing and expanding.

He says it’s important to make sure those things aren’t lost in the shuffle when taking on new people and new capabilities. “Growth is always a challenge, and the issue of how we handle growth in terms of both the space we operate out of and how we maintain quality and design,” he says. “It’s a constant process that’s always evolving.”

The firm has nearly doubled in size in a short time, Trementozzi says. “Three years ago, we were 110 people, so it has been an enormous challenge for us,” he says. The firm has more than 230 staff members today.