GREEN BUILDING: The McKenzie Mission
Since McKenzie Construction began in 2005, sustainable building practices have always been a driving force behind the work we do. An environmentally thoughtful approach to the industry becomes ever more important in the post-pandemic world and the environmental issues that we find ourselves dealing with. McKenzie continues to adapt and push projects toward our goal of green and sustainable building practices, despite rising building costs and a market that proves to become increasingly volatile. Our thoughtful approach to our work when considering design, building, and fabrication processes goes far beyond the considerations of form and function. We continue to be keenly aware of how our steps, no matter how large or small, alter the landscape and dynamic of our home in South Florida and change the color of a greener planet.
McKenzie Craft Workshop
Such commitments, while easy to use in business ideation and when promoting a larger, greener worldview, require focused action on the ground level. This is why McKenzie Craft has recently made the decision to become FSC® Certified in order to support more sustainable practices in our custom fabrication division. The decision to pursue such certification alters the way in which we source materials used in our work, adhering to guidelines set by the Forest Stewardship Council in order to ensure transparency in the chain of sourcing, manufacturing, and delivering products.
Achieving this Chain of Custody certification ensures that properly sourced, FSC-certified materials will be kept separate from non-certified materials throughout every step of the process, from inception to completion. McKenzie Craft will no longer be utilizing non-certified materials in order to fulfill the requirements of this certification and to promote green building practices. Our custom millwork and metalwork products, from value engineering solutions to luxury projects, will not only be sustainably sourced, but clients can be confident that every business and vendor that possessed our materials at some point in the sourcing and design process will have this same certification. This ensures a level of confidence in our clients that sets us apart from similar companies as we continue to deliver some of South Florida’s finest fabrication products without sacrificing our intrinsic dedication to sustainable building practices.
Forrest Stewardship Council. “FSC® Certification Process Visual.” FSC United States, us.fsc.org/en-us/certification/chain-of-custody-certification. Accessed 20 Sept. 2023.
Our Craft department recently demonstrated such a commitment on a smaller scale as they adapted a Bona waterborne floor finish to be utilized in the completion and finishing process for a set of custom fabricated doors, created right here in our Allapattah workshop. These doors feature flat-cut white oak veneer and jambs made from solid white oak and have been finished by spraying this Bona finish in a process formulated by our finishing department to ensure the appropriate result. Such an innovation allows us to push this product boasting incredibly low VOCs to be utilized in new ways.
Our current project in Homestead incorporates similar green-focused elements. This parcel of buildings, including a newly constructed restaurant and four brand new cottages featuring twenty-four units, has been fabricated in the middle of Everglades National Park. The cottages are constructed from metal shipping containers and utilize a solar powered water heating system to lessen environmental impact and use greener energy sources in everyday operation. Through the construction and design process, the use of landscaping materials that had the least negative impact on the surrounding ecosystem was carefully considered. All of the plant species utilized for the property are non-invasive and carefully considered and certified by botanists to ensure positive benefits for the surrounding natural environment.
Overhead view of Flamingo Restaurant and Cottages
From larger steps and certification, to small projects and innovations, these steps add to an incredibly important conversation about the the future of the construction industry and it's potential to aid in driving forward innovations in sustainability. At McKenzie, we believe in creating beautiful products and spaces that enhance those who inhabit and interact with them. Our recognition of reality that quality spans far beyond the completed stages of a product is what drives us to evolve and create solutions that continue sustain our planet and preserve the resources we are so fortunate to work with.
Sources:
States, Forest Stewardship Council®-United. “Chain-of-Custody Certification.” FSC United States, us.fsc.org/en-us/certification/chain-of-custody-certification.
Forrest Stewardship Council. “FSC® Certification Process Visual.” FSC United States, us.fsc.org/en-us/certification/chain-of-custody-certification. Accessed 20 Sept. 2023.
