Green Building Specialists
Our Services
Viable Green Building Solutions is a full-service high-performance real estate consultant offering a comprehensive suite of support services. We provide our clients with a clearer understanding of the built environment, tailored to meet their unique sustainability, compliance, and building performance objectives.
Our customizable services include complete project management across a spectrum of green building certification programs, with a focus on existing buildings. We specialize in certifications like LEED, BREEAM In-Use, ENERGY STAR, and Fitwel, as well as their individual components. Our goal is to stay ahead of these rating systems, ensuring our clients benefit from a smooth, cost-effective process.
We offer customized services, including ESG policy writing, performance assessments for Waste & Indoor Air Quality, trialing new rating systems and innovations, piloting beta versions, and more. With partnerships at some of the most recognized institutions in the country, we ensure your goals are met with minimal risk and a commitment to improving the built environment.
Viable understands that these processes can be costly and time-intensive. Our involvement guarantees an efficient, well-designed project management experience. With over 10 years in the commercial building performance field, Viable has become a recognized leader in high-performance consulting. We offer a careful, pragmatic approach to fulfilling the core principles of green building.
We welcome new challenges and ideas while respecting the institutions that are the cornerstones of our industry. If you have an idea or wish to discuss industry standards, our door is open. We look forward to embracing your unique challenge with integrity and transparency.
LEED Certification
Viable is an industry leader in the most recognized Green Building Rating System in the US and the United States Green Council's (USGBC) suite of certification products. With deep familial roots, our founder began as a LEED consultant, managing over 55 million square feet of LEED projects. No project is too complicated; we always deliver.
Our Expertise:
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Existing Buildings (O+M)
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New Construction (BD+C)
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Commercial Interiors (ID+C)
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Core and Shell (C+S)
Viable can manage your project from inception to completion or tailor our services to meet your project's goals and budget. We also provide all ancillary services related to LEED O+M.
BREEAM In-Use
BREEAM In-Use, a fresh building certification scheme in the US, has decades of history in the UK where it originated. Developed by the Building Research Establishment (BRE), BREEAM In-Use is a three-part benchmarking and certification method now making its debut in the US market. While BRE offers a suite of products internationally, BREEAM In-Use focuses primarily on existing building stock. With wider applicability and the potential to certify assets that traditionally couldn't be certified, BREEAM shows extraordinary promise for higher education, shopping malls, and other configurations where LEED is not practical.
"BREEAM In Use is an online, international, environmental assessment methodology for independent, third-party assessment and certification of a building's operational performance. The standard enables property investors, owners, managers, and occupiers to drive sustainable improvements through operational efficiency, including how to continually manage the operation of their building effectively."
Fitwel Certification
We are proud Fitwel Ambassadors, having developed fundamental Fitwel documentation, and are always excited to apply the Fitwel Certification program to a range of commercial and multifamily residential properties. Focusing on occupant health and comfort, Fitwel is a three-star rating system that assesses seven health impact categories, including Community Health, Social Equity, and Wellbeing. Developed by the Center for Active Design and funded by the Centers for Disease Control, Fitwel provides key insights upon certification completion, challenging us to improve the health and safety performance of assets.
Learn more HERE
WELL Building Certification
As WELL Building Ambassador, Viable is dedicated to advancing health and well-being in buildings globally. The WELL Building Standard™ (WELL) is a performance-based system for measuring, certifying, and monitoring features that impact human health and wellness in the built environment. Focused on ten core concepts: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, and Community, WELL provides a comprehensive approach to creating spaces that enhance the physical and mental health of occupants. Developed by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), this standard is backed by scientific research and is designed to improve employee productivity, satisfaction, and overall quality of life. Viable leverages these principles to deliver tailored solutions that promote sustainable and healthy environments for our clients.
Learn more HERE
ENERGY STAR Certification
ENERGY STAR is the cornerstone of performance benchmarking in the US, with over 450,000 commercial assets benchmarked using this methodology. It forms the basis for achieving the energy prerequisite and the associated 18-20 points for higher tiers of performance in the LEED v2009 (v3) and v4 certification ratings. Widely used in commercial real estate, ENERGY STAR is a sought-after annual performance benchmark by real estate investment groups nationwide. It includes key performance metrics for water and waste, now offering a water performance score and synchronization with the USGBC's Arc methodology.
Viable Founder and Senior Consultant, Levi Jimenez, has worked with dozens of asset managers to benchmark over 90 million commercial square feet, certifying over 40 million eligible square feet in commercial office, industrial, multifamily residential, and hospitality spaces.
Inquiring about AB 802? Click HERE
The State of California mandates that buildings disclose energy performance for all assets over 50,000 square feet and all multi-family housing complexes with more than 17 accounts. More about this ordinance can be found at the State of California Energy Commission website.
Indoor Air Quality Testing
We offer a comprehensive range of indoor air quality testing services designed to enhance the environments where we live, work, and play. Regular air quality assessments help identify and mitigate pollutants, allergens, and contaminants, leading to healthier indoor spaces. Viable provides air quality testing to maintain compliance with ENERGY STAR, Fitwel, and LEED-Certified Buildings. Request an assessment today to optimize the quality of your indoor environments.
State & Local Ordinance Compliance
We are benchmarking professionals and quality assurance agents dedicated to helping owners and operators make well-informed decisions about capital investments to improve energy performance and shape future regional energy policies. Viable offers a suite of training and consulting services to keep your property administrators ahead of the curve, or to manage the compliance process outright, ensuring your team is never in violation of any ordinance. City and state requirements don't apply to all buildings; let us help your team navigate the criteria and identify possible exceptions.
Statewide Benchmarking Programs:
California Building Energy Use Benchmarking & Public Disclosure Program (AB 802) → Website
Massachusetts (Coming June 2025!)
→ Law: Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind, or 2022 Climate and Clean Energy Bill
New Jersey → Website
Washington State Clean Buildings Program (House Bill 1257) (Coming in 2026!) → Website
Washington State Dept. of Enterprise Services Energy Program (Senate Bill 5854) → Website
Citywide Benchmarking Programs:
Ann Arbor (MI) Energy and Water Benchmarking Ordinance (City Code 104) → Website
Aspen (CO) Building IQ (Ordinance No. 05) → Website
Atlanta (GA) Commercial Buildings Energy Efficiency Ordinance → Website
Austin (TX) Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure (ECAD) Ordinance → Website
Berkeley (CA) Building Energy Saving Ordinance → Website
Bloomington (MN) Large Building Benchmarking Ordinance → Website
Boston (MA) Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance → Website
Boulder (CO) Building Performance Ordinance → Website
Brisbane (CA) Building Efficiency Program Ordinance → Website
Cambridge (MA) Building Energy Use Benchmarking Ordinance → Website
Chicago (IL) Energy User Benchmarking Ordinance → Website
Chula Vista (CA) Building Energy Saving Ordinance → Website
Colorado (CO) Energy Performance for Buildings Statute (House Bill 21-1286) → Website
Columbus (OH) Energy and Water Benchmarking and Transparency Ordinance → Website
Denver (CO) Environmental Health Reporting, Energize Denver Ordinance → Website
Des Moines (IA) Energy and Water Benchmarking Ordinance → Website
District of Columbia (DC) Clean and Affordable Energy Act → Website
Edina (MN) Efficient Building Benchmarking Ordinance → Website
Evanston (IL) Building Energy and Water Use Benchmarking Ordinance → Website
Fort Collins (CO) Building Energy and Water Scoring → Website
Honolulu (HI) Ordinance 22-17 → Website
Indianapolis (IN) Benchmarking and Transparency Ordinance → Website
Kansas City (MO) Energy Empowerment Ordinance → Website
Lexington (MA) Building Energy Use Disclosure Bylaw → Website
Los Angeles (CA) Existing Building Energy and Water Efficiency Ordinance (EBEW) → Website
Miami (FL) Building Energy and Water Consumption Benchmarking Ordinance → Website
Minneapolis (MN) Commercial Building Energy Rating and Disclosure Ordinance → Website
Montgomery County (MD) Bill 2-14, Environmental Sustainability Benchmarking → Website
New York City (NY) Local Law 84 (LL84) → Website
Orlando (FL) Building and Water Efficiency Strategy → Website
Philadelphia (PA) Building Energy Benchmarking Ordinance → Website
Pittsburgh (PA) Building Benchmarking Ordinance → Website
Portland (ME), Maine City Council Order 67 16/17 → Website
Portland (OR) Energy Performance Reporting Policy for Commercial Buildings → Website
Reno (NV) Energy and Water Efficiency Program → Website
Rochester (MN) Energy Benchmarking Program → Website
Rockville (MD) Building Energy Benchmarking → Website
Salt Lake City (UT) Elevate Buildings → Website
San Diego (CA) Building Energy Benchmarking Ordinance → Website
San Francisco (CA) Existing Buildings Energy Performance Ordinance → Website
San Jose (CA) Energy and Water Building Performance Ordinance → Website
Seattle (WA) Energy Benchmarking and Reporting (Seattle Municipal Code 22.920) → Website
South Portland (ME) Building Energy Program → Website
St. Louis (MO) Building Energy Awareness Ordinance → Website
St. Louis Park (MN) Efficient Building Benchmarking Ordinance → Website
St. Paul (MN) Energy Benchmarking Ordinance → Website
Province Wide Benchmarking (Canada)
Ontario's Large Building Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking Initiative → Website