Johnson County Medical Examiner Facility

GCG's Sara Greenwood talks sustainability

This week’s broker spotlight showcases a different kind of broker - one who brokers environmental excellence, sustainable business practices and climate services for businesses across the Kansas City metro.

With over sixteen years of experience, Sara Greenwood, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP + WELL FACULTY, is a sustainability consultant with Greenwood Consulting Group (GCG). Greenwood helps teams manage the certification process to achieve their performance goals.

GCG, certified as a Women’s Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) in Kansas and Missouri, is working on the following projects:

Kansas City Airport, Grand Place (former KC Star Building), NextGen Building at the University of Missouri Columbia, St. Luke’s South Rehabilitation Institute, Johnson County Medical Examiner Building, Georgia Aquarium expansion, 9800 Metcalf Office Building, Brookridge Development and several K-12, multifamily and warehouse projects located coast to coast.

In this week’s MWM Broker Spotlight, Greenwood shares her passion and unique perspective behind emerging green building practices and technologies - especially interesting for clients pursuing green building certification and sustainable business initiatives.

RT:  What was your lightbulb moment to get into commercial real estate?

SG: When I see projects come to fruition and the building occupants are bragging about the sustainable building features that I worked hard to implement. I was in an elevator of a multifamily building in Anaheim next to a mom who was telling me she just moved into this building from down the street because she saw that it was LEED Certified and her child has asthma and she really wanted to ensure a healthy home environment.

RT (Rachel Treanor):  What gets you excited to get to work every day?

SG (Sara Greenwood): The diversity in my projects really inspires me to work each day. Also, I have a personal affinity for projects that benefit children and disadvantaged people in our community. I love to watch projects evolve from a design on paper through construction to completion. Then to attain a certification target because of my consulting expertise is very fulfilling!

RT:  What keeps you up at night about commercial real estate?

SG: Politics. Cuts on incentives to implement green building performance measures.

RT:  What does a Kansas City CRE Comeback look like to you?

SG: More emphasis on the health of building occupants and awareness that buildings impact our lives daily. People spend more than 90% of their time indoors. It is crucial to consider building health when we are talking about our own health.

RT: How can prospects contact you for more information?

SG: Sara@GreenwoodCG.com Cell: 415-602-9220 and our website is www.GreenwoodCG.com

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New $21 million Johnson County Medical Examiner Facility complete

New $21 million Johnson County Medical Examiner Facility complete

Throughout construction, the McCarthy team demonstrated the efficiency and value of using advanced technology to build and refine the space. 3D Technology Enabled the medical examiner staff to virtually experience the completed space during construction.