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Michael Dern
Architects
- New Building
- Remodel
- Restoration/Preservation
- Single-family home
- Multi-family residential
- ADU
- 2000 sq ft or Less
- 2001 sq ft to 5000 sq ft
- 5001 sq ft or More
Sustainability Expertise & Credentials
At DERN Architecture + Development, we integrate Build It Green and LEED Standards into our projects as part of a holistic development strategy - aligning environmental performance with cost, constructability, and long-term asset value.
Build It Green is California’s leading program for practical, climate-responsive residential design, including:
GreenPoint Rated certification
Energy and water efficiency benchmarks
Indoor air quality and occupant health
Resource-efficient materials and systems
It provides a third-party verified path to high-performance buildings -without over complicating the design or construction process.
At DERN Architecture + Development, we don’t pursue LEED as a checklist—we deliver it as a strategic framework that enhances project value, reduces risk, and strengthens long-term performance.
🏗️ Sustainability That Aligns with Development Goals LEED impacts more than environmental performance—it influences:
Capital costs and construction strategy
Entitlement positioning and approvals
Marketability and leasing velocity
Long-term operational efficiency
We integrate LEED early to ensure it supports your pro forma and project objectives.
📐 Integrated from Day One
Our architect-led approach brings LEED into the core of project planning:
Site selection and orientation
Building massing and envelope performance
Energy modeling and system selection
Water efficiency and landscape strategy
Material selection and lifecycle considerations
This early integration reduces redesign, avoids costly changes, and improves outcomes across the board.
💡 Targeted Certification Strategy
Not every project needs the same level of certification. We help determine the right approach:
LEED Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum
Cost vs. point optimization strategies
Alignment with local incentives and jurisdictional requirements
Hybrid strategies (Title 24 + electrification + LEED credits)
The goal: maximize value—not just points.
🧱 Builder-Coordinated, Field-Tested. LEED only works if it’s executed in construction.
We coordinate closely with contractors and consultants to ensure:
Specifications align with real-world construction practices
Submittals and materials meet LEED requirements
Field conditions don’t compromise certification goals
Documentation is accurate and complete
This reduces risk of missed credits, delays, or rework.
⚖️ Certification Without the Headaches. We manage the LEED process from concept through certification:
LEED scorecard development
Consultant coordination (energy, commissioning, etc.)
Documentation and submittal to Green Business Certification Inc.
Ongoing tracking to ensure targets are met
You stay focused on development -we manage the complexity.
🚀 The DERN Difference is that we approach LEED as part of a broader architect-led development strategy:
Align sustainability with financial performance
Reduce entitlement and construction risk
Deliver buildings that perform - environmentally and economically
Position your project competitively in the market
📍 California Urban Infill
From custom residential to mixed-use and multi-family developments, DERN Architecture + Development delivers high-performance, design-driven projects tailored to California’s regulatory and environmental landscape.
👉 Build Better. Perform Stronger. If your project is pursuing LEED certification, we bring the clarity, leadership, and execution to make it successful.
DERN Architecture + Development
We Listen, Innovate and Deliver.
We use a Fire-Resistance Strategy as a Design Advantage. International Code Council compliance is the baseline. At DERN Architecture + Development, we go further. We approach fire-resistance not as a constraint yet as a design and development tool that shapes yield, cost, and long-term asset value.
🏗️ Beyond Compliance. Toward Performance. Most teams treat fire-resistance as a checklist at the end of design. We integrate it from day one.
Construction type selection aligned with pro forma goals
Fire separation strategies that preserve unit count and frontage
Assembly decisions that balance cost, performance, and constructability
Early coordination with fire protection consultants and builders
The result: fewer surprises, faster approvals, and better-performing buildings.
📐 Design Decisions That Drive Value. Every fire-rated wall, floor, roof, shaft, and opening impacts your project:
Fire Sprinkler Systems within the Building and on the Roof.
We guide design decisions with a developer’s mindset - not just a designer’s perspective.
💡 Architect-Led Strategy, Builder-Informed Execution. Our team leads fire-resistance coordination across:
Architectural, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Fire Alarm and Fire Sprinkler Systems
Custom Residential, ADU's, Commercial and Mixed-Use Project types.
Working closely with General Contractors as a Design+Build Delivery to ensure that what is design and permitted is buildable, coordinated, and aligned with cost realities.