Recommendations for Spec Writers who are Excellent with Sustainable Materials

Douglas Flandro

Sustainability Design Leader, Exhibit Designer, Associate

CambridgeSeven

LEEDuser Premium Member

9 thumbs up

July 15, 2020

We are looking to refine our general office specifications to weed out harmful materials and to prioritize sustainability for all of our clients. Have you had good experience with outsourced specification writers who are helping to push sustainability forward? Who do you recommend? Bonus points if they are familiar with Massachusetts codes and market, but not necessary.

Thank you.

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Dee Spiro

LEEDuser Basic Member

24 thumbs up

Wed, 07/15/2020 - 12:44

For years, we've been using Kalin Associates (https://kalinassociates.com/) for the majority of our specifications. And they're very familiar with Massaschusetts code as they're located in Newton. They have worked with us to green our standard specs (an ongoing project), and they're very knowledgeable as they've worked on several LBC projects in addition to the standard LEED, WELL, etc. We work primarily with Mark Kalin and Lisa Goodwin Robbins (who is one of my go-to people for product/material information). Let me know if you'd like an introduction as I'm happy to email them for you. If we didn't have such a long-standing relationship with Kalin though, we'd probably use Anne Hicks Harney's Long Green Specs (http://www.longgreenspecs.com/). Anne's another expert on the materials front so I don't think you'd go wrong with either company.

Rob Winstead

Principal | K12 Studio Leader

VMDO Architects

LEEDuser Premium Member

0 thumbs up

Wed, 07/15/2020 - 13:51

Anne Hicks Harney of Long Green Specs!

Jefferson Poole

Goody Clancy

LEEDuser Basic Member

0 thumbs up

Wed, 07/15/2020 - 14:25

Absolutely agree with the recommendation of Anne Hicks Harney and Long Green Specs.