Our Approach
The Schweitzer + Associates Team has decades of practical experience in real estate development, community design, economics, and sustainability. We incorporate sensible, and cost-effective best practices and innovative sustainability solutions within the larger context of the dynamic regulatory, market, and bio-regional climates to provide clarity and more alternatives for creating sustainable community developments.
S+A's utilizes both 'science' and 'art' to optimize value for our client’s projects, portfolios, and initiatives. We use a multidisciplinary and integrated systems approach to develop and apply emerging sustainable development solutions and techniques to both public and private projects.
Making Green Pay
S+A uses both Science + Art with our models that optimizes the “sweet spot” of sustainability by bringing together business plan goals and stakeholder interests with practical, cost-effective and innovative solutions that enhance the “triple bottom line” total return on investment (TROI).
Optimizing value in “applied sustainability” depends on balancing short-and long-term costs and benefits, while creating harmony between the built and natural environment. We have proven that doing business in a sustainable manner is “good business” and involves more than just adding up a scorecard until it totals “green.” We are committed to developing economical, ecologically sound, and socially responsible land use for today and tomorrow.
Mission
To advance the responsible use of land in the built environment in ways that optimize the triple bottom-line value for our clients, their stakeholders, and communities for current and future generations.
Vision
To develop solutions that are:
Efficient
Effective
Equitable
Cornerstones
Excellence
Value-Creation
Integrity
Sustainable Development
10 Guiding Principles
Acknowledge the Interdependence of Humanity and Nature for life itself.
Embrace Inter-generational Stewardship by continuing the tradition of caring for the land and future generations.
Optimize [economic, environmental, and human] Value of the triple bottom-line to enhance long-term ecological, social and economic health.
Design with Natural Systems to reduce total costs and achieve an overall balanced relationship between the natural and built environments [close the loop on energy and waste].
Conserve Natural Resources such as clean air, water, energy and healthy local food, trees and land.
Utilize High Performance Design Technologies to achieve cost-effective energy use, harnessing renewable energy on-site while developing alternative energy sources.
Integrate Resource Efficient Healthy Materials such as climate appropriate landscaping with stormwater quality features and products that conserve resources and improve air quality.
Eliminate Waste – Reduce, reuse, recycle and reinvest into the community.
Promote Multi-Modal [clean] Transportation that allows people to drive less, employs a variety of clean modes of transportation, supports practical choice in the near-term and encourages evolution and expansion in the long-term.
Innovate – Evolve - Educate - Learn from the past, constantly improve, and teach others.
WE MAP THE INTERSECTION
OF DESIGN AND POLICY
S+A has developed a model that optimizes the “sweet spot” of sustainability by bringing together business plan goals and stakeholder interests of the public, private and NGO sectors with practical, cost-effective and innovative solutions that enhance the “triple bottom line” return on investment (ROI) throughout the project’s life-cycle.
We are a creative “think and do tank” of inspired professionals, designers, and scientists, paving the path of innovation in California. We work at the intersection of design, policy, and codes & standards development enabling us to help our clients “skate to where the puck is going.”