Michael L. Osborn, P.E. and Paul T. Knutzen, P.E., Penfield & Smith Engineers, Become LEED Accredited Professionals

Penfield & Smith is pleased to announce that two more registered professional civil engineers, Michael Osborn of our Santa Barbara, Ca. office and Paul Knutzen of our Lancaster, Ca. office, have become LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED AP). P&S now has three Registered Civil Engineers with LEED AP accreditation. Mr. Osborn’s career at P&S has developed over the past eight years working with public agencies, educational institutions and private sector clients as a civil engineer providing conscientious and quality design and project management. Mr. Osborn is also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Sustainability Committee and the LEED ND Correspondence Committee. “Being a responsible steward to our land is fundamental to my life; to our lives,” says Mr. Osborn, who, among many other things, rides his bike to work and local meetings every day.

Mr. Knutzen’s career at P&S started in 2003 working at both the Santa Barbara and the Santa Maria offices where he worked heavily with private sector clients in thoughtful and high quality design land development. In 2006, Mr. Knutzen made his way to the P&S Lancaster office where he’s worked with numerous public agencies, educational institutions, and private clients as a project managing civil engineer, placing emphasis on responsible site design. “We only have one earth, and we need to make sure that we keep it in good health so that our children will be able to enjoy it as we have,” states Mr. Knutzen, who is proudly outspoken about his passion for conservation. In speaking to local elementary school children, he shares his enthusiasm for environmental stewardship with local students, educating them on Green Building techniques and what the future may hold for them.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the national standards for sustainable green building design and development practices. The US Green Building Council is the non-profit organization that developed this nationally recognized certification program.

As projects obtaining certification under the LEED for New Construction (LEED-NC) and the upcoming LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) increase, the role of the Civil Engineer in LEED project teams will become critically beneficial as the credits to obtain certification move outside of the building and include fields such as site selection, site layout, water reuse, storm water quality, maximizing open space and materials reuse and selection. LEED APs have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and the LEED Rating System. LEED APs facilitate the integrated design process and streamline LEED certification of buildings and infrastructure projects.

Although the formalization of Green Design and Sustainable Practice through LEED Certification of Projects/Buildings and Accreditation of individuals are somewhat recent, they are not new concepts to Penfield & Smith. Incorporation of environmentally responsible solutions into our civil engineering designs has been our practice for years. Now that LEED Certification and Green Design are becoming requirements for many agencies, rather than purely elective and socially responsible options, Penfield & Smith and their LEED Accredited Professionals can help building owners realize both environmental and financial benefits as their projects meet goals for sustainable design and earn points toward Certification.