<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, May 20, 2010 at 11:30 AM, Nick Caton <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:ncaton@smithboucher.com">ncaton@smithboucher.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
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<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Darn it! I've got work to be doing today but I'm a real
sucker for ethical discussions...</span></p></div></div></blockquote><div><br><b>Me too.</b> <br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
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<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">To get one thing out of the way first, call me a blind optimist,
but I reckon any EAc1 reviewer that subscribes to <a href="http://onebuilding.org" target="_blank">onebuilding.org</a> lists is
probably a cut above their peers and will professionally avoid bringing any unrelated
postings into their current reviews. I sincerely hope everyone agrees:
these mailing-lists are an environment where we can freely ask questions and
demonstrate what we do and don't know. If students were punished in a
classroom for raising their hands, there wouldn't be much learning going on.
</span></p></div></div></blockquote><div><br><b>Doing anything out of fear should always be avoided. It's called being in survival by some. For instance, some people can sit in a room by themselves and cause whole groups of people to do what they say. They do this by "controlling the purse strings". When we don't talk about something life that it's like we are colluding with it. That's unethical.</b> Ignorance is never bliss, is it?<br>
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<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">It's weird to me however - when I was in school learning about engineering
ethics, it never dawned on me that energy modeling would frame the context for
the vast majority of my ethical decision making, and that it would occur on a
daily basis! I'm sure most of us strive to do right by the system, within
the constraints of our own ability and time... but I'm also sure it is quite
impossible to perform any LEED EAc1 analysis without being forced to make subjective
decisions regarding 90.1/LEED intent and where to draw the line on
"sufficiently accurate" for a myriad of things. </span></p></div></div></blockquote><div><b>I agree 100%</b> <br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
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<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">So here's it is… my current take on LEED modeling & ethics</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> (this
has certainly evolved over time):</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">1. Energy modeling for LEED is a game, USGBC reviewers are the Refs,
and the rest of us modelers are the Players who are charged with playing by the
rules of the game. Some of the Players are driven (personally or by
pressure) to earn as many points as possible, and others are not. Exactly
where you sit on that spectrum is an entirely personal and non-ethical decision,
it is <b>NOT </b>your employer’s decision to make. It <b>IS</b> an
ethical dilemma anytime you knowingly break/bend the rules - whether a Ref
catches you or not. It's <b>NOT</b> an ethical issue if/when you should seek
to understand the nuances/intent of the rules better than others and win the
game by scoring more points. Like any game: Players with more
experience and understanding of the rules will naturally have a higher
potential to score legitimate points than players lacking either.</span></p></div></div></blockquote><div><b>Nick and I agree.</b> <br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
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<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">2. Players earning fewer points and the Refs who miss fouls (or must
justify their positions) will inevitably and understandably complain about Players
"gaming the system."</span></p></div></div></blockquote><div><b>I agree. I always, purposefully err on the conservative side. My last client actually questioned me about it: why was I showing xx % savings. Why didn't I get 1.5 X xx%</b> <br>
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<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">3. "Gaming the system" is a term (thrown around a bit
loosely here, imho) that implies bending/breaking the rules (unethical
behavior), but it's easy to confuse with trying to understand and act on the
finer points of the rules. I personally prefer to see phrases like "Working
within the system" used when that's what is meant. Why is this so
important that I made it a separate bullet? <u>I and others will
rightfully take offense</u> when anyone charges a fellow player of unethical
behavior without proper grounds, so please take care with that phrase. As
an aspiring Professional, I think I speak for a large group by saying we take
our ethical foundations very seriously – they are inseparable and
pertinent to the practice of energy modeling.</span></p></div></div></blockquote><div><b>Nick and I agree 100%</b> <br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
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<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">On a lighter note, I'll extend my analogy to tie back to the
first point: It would ALSO be an ethical dilemma if a Ref (USGBC
reviewer) were to dig into a Player's past history (these mailing list
archives), and decide to exact "punishment" for past behavior outside
of the project at-hand. John below is obviously interested in turning
over a new leaf, and he is NOT alone. Many of us (myself included) face a
daily struggle to maintain a personal ethical balance in our work. The
realities of deadlines, client/boss demands, inadequate teamwork/communication
on the design side, the need to prioritize sleep/family time, and holistically
the complexity of the entire process can all work AGAINST those subjective ethical
decisions we have to make individually every time we pick up a project.</span></p></div></div></blockquote><div><b>I agree, once again, with Nick. And, I am continually surprised by what people say and do. I have heard the darnedest things</b>. The good news is, I believe, that most LEED reviewers are also energy modeling practitioners. I'm not sure that any of them aren't. If there are some LEED should not contract with them. <br>
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<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Then again... maybe some just don't think about this stuff too much?</span></p></div></div></blockquote><div><b>You and I and others continue to try to be the unpaid teachers, Nick. I swear I am not going to teach anyone anything else for at least and hour. HA!</b> <br>
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<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">~Nick</span></p></div></div></blockquote><div><br><b>PS write when you find work.......<br><br>Mom</b> <br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(45, 77, 94);">NICK CATON, E.I.T.</span></b><b><span style="color: rgb(45, 77, 94);"></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">From:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> <a href="mailto:equest-users-bounces@lists.onebuilding.org" target="_blank">equest-users-bounces@lists.onebuilding.org</a>
[mailto:<a href="mailto:equest-users-bounces@lists.onebuilding.org" target="_blank">equest-users-bounces@lists.onebuilding.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Carol
Gardner<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, May 20, 2010 10:46 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Eurek, John S NWO<br>
<b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:equest-users@lists.onebuilding.org" target="_blank">equest-users@lists.onebuilding.org</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Equest-users] Voodoo (Enlightenment)</span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">Go with god, son. If you want a
double check on whether you made a reasonable change vs gamed the system, hire
one of us peer reviewers.<br>
Carol</p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">On Thu, May 20, 2010 at 7:29 AM, Eurek, John S NWO <<a href="mailto:John.S.Eurek@usace.army.mil" target="_blank">John.S.Eurek@usace.army.mil</a>>
wrote:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As the one who started this post, I must say I have learned
a lot.<br>
<br>
Thank you very much.<br>
<br>
What I have learned.<br>
<br>
1. I have been misusing energy modeling. I have been trying to use energy<br>
modeling for the sole purpose of earning LEED points.<br>
<br>
2. I use it late in the design. Late in the design I have found it easier
to<br>
tweak my model instead of my design. (in order to get the desired number of<br>
points)<br>
(I do have integrity, so it kills me to
"game" the system. But with<br>
so few rules it wasn't hard to rationalize inputs. I go home not feeling<br>
proud.)<br>
<br>
3. When the goal is a realistic energy modeling, a very good model can be<br>
created. When you are simply trying to reach compliance with some code,
the<br>
system can be gamed. This misuse and gaming of energy modeling is a waste of<br>
time, but this is the users (MY) fault.<br>
<br>
4. I need to get the other departments to realize that this isn't MY<br>
(mechanical engineer) energy model, but OUR energy model. (I'm trying to
get<br>
my model done and the electrical engineer still doesn't have his light loads<br>
and the Architect hasn't have a final roof design.)<br>
<br>
I'm like a monkey hammering with a wrench. The frustration was a<br>
misunderstanding of the tool.<br>
<br>
I hope I can get the other departments on-board and maybe start using the<br>
model as a design tool as it was intended.<br>
To those who are being asked to misuse modeling, it is rough.<br>
<br>
Once again, my frustration and stress with energy modeling was growing to the<br>
point it disturbed my sleep. Having this discussion helped. The
most<br>
helpful was all the responses I received about the benefits of the proper use<br>
of energy modeling, and empathy from others who know the pain of trying to<br>
create a model just to earn points.<br>
<br>
<br>
Thank you all,<br>
<br>
John Eurek<br>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><br><font color="#888888">
<br clear="all">
<br>
-- <br>
Carol Gardner PE</font></p>
</div>
</div>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Carol Gardner PE<br>
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