By Candice Rogers, MBA, CCP, CxA, WELL AP, LEED AP BD+C
Paladin, Inc.
In building management and sustainability, the only real constant is change. This point has been on my mind a lot lately as we have supported a major Southern city in their pursuit of some ambitious energy performance initiatives. While specific programs and certifications evolve – LEED Zero is currently undergoing revisions, and LEED v5 has everyone adjusting their approaches – the fundamental principles of good building management remain steadfast. If you’re going to navigate the coming year and its various challenges, it’s important to be grounded in the data and the disciplines that have been proven time and again.
Know What You Have: The Vital Signs
What are these fundamentals? They start with knowing what you have. Whether you’re managing a single facility or, like many cities, overseeing a diverse portfolio of parks, fire stations, schools, and government buildings, you need accurate baseline data. Think of those essential elements of information as an organization’s version of getting one’s vital signs checked at the doctor’s office – those measurements alone don’t tell the whole story, but they provide essential context for making informed decisions.
The Data Challenge at Scale
The challenge, particularly at scale, is gathering and maintaining this data. It’s relatively straightforward with new construction, but with existing buildings – some purchased, some inherited, some annexed – keeping an accurate inventory is a significant undertaking. Add to that the complexity of collecting utility data across multiple departments and jurisdictions, and you begin to appreciate why many organizations struggle with portfolio-wide initiatives. An inventory of building data would encompass the following, at a minimum:
- Building name and ownership
- Building address
- Building square footage
- Building use type(s)
- Building metering
- Building age
- System types and condition of systems
- Maintenance, renovation, and repair history
- Monthly utility consumption for each primary service type
Building from Baseline Understanding
Yet this foundational work is essential. Whether your goal is net zero energy, carbon neutrality, or simply reduced operating costs, you need to understand where you stand before you can plot a course forward. Establishing this baseline has gone well in our work with some military installations because their accountability culture makes them sticklers for the facts from day one. Our goal is to make what comes naturally to them a routine activity for our other clients, taking steps like analyzing facility records, examining Energy Use Intensity (EUI), reviewing maintenance histories, and identifying patterns that help prioritize interventions.
Start Small, Scale Smart
This brings me to another fundamental principle: scalability through piloting. When working with large organizations, especially those where change might be met with hesitation, we’re big advocates of proof-of-concept implementations. Start small, demonstrate success, allow the organization to absorb and adapt to the change, then expand. We’re seeing this approach work well in that city mentioned earlier, where their Department of General Services is pioneering methodologies that will eventually transfer to their public schools and other agencies.
Stability in Times of Change
The beauty of having strong fundamentals – good data, core disciplines, and clear decision-making frameworks – is that they provide stability during times of change. When certification requirements shift or new technologies emerge, you’re not starting from scratch. Instead, you’re adjusting from a position of knowledge and understanding.
Consistency Across the Portfolio
This applies equally to new construction and existing building operations. Whether you’re designing to meet evolving LEED standards or adapting operations to achieve LEED Zero certification, the core questions remain the same: How does this serve the building’s purpose? How does it align with the owner’s goals? How does it fit the local context?
Understanding Recent LEED Evolution
The recent updates to LEED guidelines reflect our industry’s continued emphasis on operational performance and actual outcomes. LEED Zero currently encompasses four distinct certifications: energy, carbon, water, and waste. The program is undergoing further refinement to better align with global carbon reduction goals and evolving building technologies. Meanwhile, LEED v5’s rollout for new construction projects introduces more stringent requirements for energy performance and materials transparency. While these changes may seem daunting, they ultimately push us toward better-performing, more sustainable buildings and a stronger bottom line.
The Value of Experience in Navigation
This constant evolution in standards and best practices highlights why having an experienced partner matters. At Paladin, we’ve guided organizations through multiple generations of sustainability programs and certification systems. We understand not just the technical requirements, but how to implement them in ways that align with organizational realities. When standards shift, we help our clients leverage their existing good practices rather than starting over. This institutional knowledge and proven approach helps organizations maintain momentum even as the goalposts move.
Looking Forward
As we enter 2026, many organizations are reassessing their sustainability and operational goals. Some are responding to new regulations, others to market pressures or internal mandates. Whatever your drivers, remember that while specific programs and metrics may change, good fundamentals endure. Start with accurate data, maintain disciplined processes, and make decisions based on clear evidence and organizational priorities.
The path to building excellence isn’t always straight, but with strong fundamentals as your guide, every step moves you in the right direction.