Breech of Protocol by GBCI and Project Administrator Changes
Has anyone else run into something ugly that the GBCI did to me today?
What the GBCI did was allow for five projects, a non-Project Administrator, and in some cases non-Project Manager, to remove as PA and assign themselves. The GBCI did this wothout contacting me first, to determine why the change needed to be made at all. I work directly for the owner as the the architect responsbible for creating a mess.
Unfortunately, the GBCI decided to trust the architect who, in discussions I've had with the owner, lied to the GBCI. Why the GBCI did not contact me at all is a groteque breech of proptocol. This is not supposed to happen with the PA agreeing to the change. But, someone at the GBCI did that. I know the GBCI does not like me but when they fail to follow their own rules it is absolutely a major problem.
According to the owner two projects they thought should change based on recommendations from the architect. An architect that refused to respond to my request for support. The architect lied and claimed five.
What is so bad about the GBCI's failure is that I am under contract for four of the five proejcts. I work for the owner and the architect is responds to my requests. The owner was also lied to by the architect indicating I had not done work on a second of the five projects even though I had and had billed, and been paid, by the owner for thw work. The remaining three the owner says I am contracturally responsible for, but the architect has prevented me by removing my assigned credits, which I have the contractural responsibility to do document and have collected paperwork for.
Of course this action by a high-regarding green architecture firm is unprecedented. The actions by the GCBI to violate protocol is also unprecedented. A simple phone calll of email would have been acceptable. The GBCI also prevented me from receiving the automatically emails telling a PA that a change was made to the project team.
I post this gross problem here because I need Peter Templeton, who I have known for years, to call me and discuss the authority the GBCI has to voilate my rights as a LEED PA still working for the owner, while also working for a highly unprofessional architecture company. A company that if I provided their name whould shock many of the people here.
6 Comments
suggestions
1) Do the same process and claim the projects back. I wonder how many times it can change back and forth before someone at GBCI would notice. (I'd suggest having the building owner do this and specifically list all projects they want you to be PA on.) http://www.gbci.org/org-nav/contact/Contact-Us/Project-Certification-Que...
2) Write a formal letter, email, and phone call to GBCI expressing your concern that they did not follow their own rules. Their website says, "I am either the project team administrator, project team manager, or project owner. Note that only someone in one of these three roles can change a project team administrator's LEED-Online permissions."
3) If you feel that this individual violated GBCI's rule to, "be truthful, forthcoming, and cooperative in their dealings with GBCI." then it might be grounds for an inquiry and possible revoking of their LEED AP status.
Rules are just words on paper, (or computer screen). They mean nothing unless a person is willing to enforce them. An organization may have the best of intentions, but the person may be overwhelmed and not interested in creating more work for themselves. It's too easy sometimes to ignore complaints. Then, how far up the food chain are you willing to push to get heard. All organizations are inherently self-protective. The burden to prove it's own rules were broken is very high. It's much easier if you can develop a friendly conversation with a GBCI member and then they might have a willingness to look into it. Unfortunately, how likable we are impacts how people hear us.
Dear Hernando etEvapotranspiration (ET) is the loss of water by evaporation from the soil and by transpiration from plants. It is expressed in millimeters per unit of time. al. - A project owner may change the parties and roles assigned to its project team at their discretion. For any one with concerns that a project administrator has been changed inappropriately, please do contact us at http://www.gbci.org/org-nav/contact/Contact-Us/Project-Certification-Que.... Please note that we do strictly follow the guidance posted on our website that only the project administrator, project team manager, or project owner can change a project administrator's LEED-Online permissions between individuals at different firms. Thanks, MRS
Hernando,
The school district (owner) contacted GBCI and requested the changes in permissions to the 5 projects you are referring to - NOT the architect.
Respectfully,
Linda Clark (owner)
Linda,
The architect told me they made the request, not you. Yes, I need to clarify this issue with Paul W. who is the owner (the boss we both work for), and has directed me to make him the PA for 11 projects I am working on. Only 10 of the 11 are under contract.
The changes you requested are only for only part of the work I am under contract with him to complete. I know you did not direct the new PA to remove my ability to complete the contracted work. There is only an issue with one of the five projects you asked for a PA change.
Bill, I spoke with Peter Templeton, President of the GBCI. We are on very good terms with each other, as we have been for many years. I am working with him to work out this issue.
It isn't clear to me that the GBCI or USGBC will change the policy. My point in starting this topic is to make other practitioners aware of it.
I will also add the someone has been sending my posts on LEEDuser to people they shouldn't. LEEDuser is open forum were we can express out first amendment protected opinions. Some people may think LEEDuser is controlled by the USGBC/GBCI but it is an independent news group.
Peter Templeton knows about my posts on LEEDuser and has no issues with them.
Hernando, I am confused about one point in your most recent post: "I will also add the someone has been sending my posts on LEEDuser to people they shouldn't."
I'm not sure what you mean, or what you're responding to. Perhaps it's not important.
Indeed, not everyone realizes that LEEDuser is an independent project of BuildingGreen, Inc., and is not under USGBC control. It's good to remember that.
We do very occassionally step in to facilitate a constructive discussion or even to remove nonconstructive posts. To the extent that this particular discussion involves dialogue that might be more appropriate between willing individuals intsead of in a public forum, I've been close to asking that it go in that direction.
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