Georgia-Pacific Gypsum Blog Entry
When it comes to building smart, durable and for the long run, there is a phrase that should be on the mind of everyone involved in the project – sustainability and mitigation.

Sustainability and mitigation have come to mean a lot of things in the trade and beyond, but in the case of our mission - advocating for the conscientious use of the best, most efficient products in order to build to last - we present Georgia-Pacific Gypsum’s definitions of the terms:

• Sustainability – the commitment to implementing and abiding by practices that consistently conserve and efficiently use our limited resources
  

• Mitigation – risk reduction to the building envelope and its long-term durability and performance

While the concepts look good together on paper, sustainable practices too often end up conflicting with efforts that address mitigation (e.g., selecting only green products without regard to their durability).  And, those who are only concerned with mitigation sometimes overlook the sustainability benefits of smart construction. They may not be looking beyond the building code requisites for what could also, for example, add energy efficiency.

An example of the conflict could be a building constructed under the latest LEED guidelines and other green-minded principles. If the builder only thinks of “green,” but does not take into consideration the impact of weather events such as flooding for example, the results may involve major repair and renovation, and landfilling of destroyed building materials.

Sustainability and mitigation need not be an either/or proposition. At Georgia-Pacific Gypsum, we strongly maintain that these two important issues should be addressed simultaneously at all stages of the building process – from design through final construction.  This combined effort effectively marries the concepts by making use of sustainable products and practices while also taking steps to mitigate or minimize weather related problems. These problems could derail a project during the construction process, or ruin even the best built building post occupancy.

For this reason, everyone involved in the process -- architects, specifiers, and builders -- should embrace sustainability and mitigation.  All should take into account those facts of building life which demonstrate the concept, and the need to consider both, including:

• Flooding can ruin the interior of a building or home – it is essential to create a structure that will withstand flood waters and address the fact that construction materials need to be able to get wet – and dry out – to resist mold and moisture in the interiors.
• Wind driven rain is damaging – a tight enclosure allows for water avoidance in soffits, under roofs and other openings. Products that resist moisture may allow any rain that does seep in to dry without damaging walls and ceilings.
• Construction projects need to be infused with as much common sense as regulatory realities – such as elevating structures in flood prone regions and leaving the first floor for parking or entryways. Pragmatic practices like these ensure structures meet the desired standards of durability, economic relevance and sustainable soundness.

About the Author
Barry Reid, LEED AP
Georgia-Pacific Gypsum
Barry Reid, LEED AP, has more than 20 years experience in the Building Products industry. He is Business Development Marketing Manager for Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLC, whose current initiatives include integrating sustainable and building science principles into Georgia-Pacific’s building products to enhance the long- term performance of building enclosures in both residential and commercial construction.  His position paper, “The Synergy of Sustainability and Mitigation,” explains how architects, specifiers, contractors, code officials, building owners and insurers should work together to embrace the concepts of sustainability and mitigation in order to ensure that structures are always built to last.
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