Mike Phinney

Category: Business
Published: March 2007

Mike Phinney talks about his career and the future of Green Design in architecture.

Success Magazine: Mike, how did you get involved with green architecture?

Mike Phinney: The root of my interest goes back to my childhood. I grew up in the Adirondacks and was an active outdoorsman. I was always hiking or camping and really had an affinity for nature and the environment. I kept that interest in the environment when I went to RPI for the five year architectural program. My fifth year there I had to complete a yearlong thesis on a subject of my choice. I chose Environmental Learners in Architecture as my subject, mostly because back then I couldn't really find anyone who was talking about green design and I wanted to learn more about it.

SM: Did you start out in the business as a green architect?

MP: No. Looking back, I was pretty nave coming out of college. My first job was with WCBS, who had me intern with them during my junior year of college, and I spent a lot of time preaching what I learned about green design to anyone who would listen. Unfortunately, the business wasn't really ready for it yet. A year after I got the job I moved on to Saratoga Associates and was just doing your normal architectural work when I got a call from my old boss who said, Hey, I've got this project for BC headquarters and the governor's office has mandated that it be a green building.'

SM: So the green trend was starting to catch on?

MP: That was the first certified green building in New York State, so it was really cutting edge. Unfortunately, despite the success of the project, there wasn't any real demand for green buildings so after that I spent a lot of time doing normal projects that were not really fulfilling my creative energy.

SM: What changed that?

MP: Well, I guess I hit a midlife crisis early on. So my wife and I bought a plot of land and I started to design and build our own home. Going back to a smaller project that was more hands on where I had more creative control really rejuvenated my passion for architecture. While working on my home I came into contact with Frank Laske of Capital Construction who had a client that needed a green home. The client was an RPI professor whose wife was diagnosed with chemical sensitivities. Frank had heard me preaching about those kind of issues so he called me up and got me on board. So I began to work on the project and I realized how much I loved doing it. So I decided to resign from my job and establish my own firm that focused on green design.

SM: That must have been stressful

MP: It was. I had just signed on for the largest amount of debt in my entire life with my new house and I had no source of fixed income. Thankfully my wife was incredibly supportive. Marcy was an incredible support system for me. Without her none of this would have been possible.

SM: So how did you get your business started?

MP: I put together a web site and started looking for the right people who had the same philosophy to join me. Thankfully, I found some great people and we were able to get work just by word of mouth. We mainly did residential work at first and have now moved primarily into commercial. As time went on I was able to expand the team a bit more. We should have about twelve people on staff by the end of the year. The key is to make sure you get the right people to join so you can better utilize your strength and shore up your weaknesses while also giving us greater diversity.

SM: So are all of your projects green or do you get a mix?

MP: It's funny you ask that. Some of our projects are heavily dominated by green design simply because they contacted us due to our expertise in that area. Other projects we got from people who just heard that we were a good architectural firm and don't really care about green design one way or another. Those clients are the ones you really need to connect with. I categorize the rationale for doing green design into three categories: common sense decisions (you save money immediately), minimal investment (you will save money in the long run), and finally the ethical reason (you may not save money but you are doing the right thing). Almost all of our clients fall into the first two categories, even if they didn't originally sign on for a green project. I mean, if you have to choose between a system that is 86% efficient or a green system that is 93% efficient at an equivalent cost, which one would you choose? A lot of my clients simply had no idea that green design is not just a sound environmental decision but a sound business one as well.

SM: Is your number one priority letting people know about green technology?

MP: In a way, yes. My number one priority is to remind myself every day why I got into this and maintain that original integrity and philosophy. It just so happens that doing so usually involves educating my clients, and I am really happy to have that opportunity. Letting people know that green design can improve the bottom line is good for everyone involved, from me to business owners to the environment.

SM: Have you seen green design become more and more popular in the architectural field?

MP: Yes. I joke that eventually all of these things that I do as a specialty firm will one day become standard practice. I predict that in ten to twelve years when the next generation of architects rise up that green design is going to be the norm. Curriculum on it is mandated in most architectural schools now. I'm just happy that I can be involved with something that not only allows me to use my creative talents but also be part of something that I think will be an important part of our future.