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Green Building Design
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Buildings consume one third of all U.S. energy and two thirds of all U.S. electricity as well as vast amounts of resources, creating significant amounts of waste and pollution over their lifespans. Green design seeks to prioritize environmental and life cycle considerations in all facets of building design, construction, operation, and maintenance. Green building design has multiple benefits such as:
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Reduced energy and environmental impacts. |
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Lower life cycle operating costs. |
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Improved occupant health, comfort, and productivity. |
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Educational value to the wider community (teaching sustainability). |
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Community pride. |
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National recognition for exemplary green designs. |
Green building design concepts/strategies/principles/priorities include the following:
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"Build it small if at all" (don't over-build; recycle existing buildings if possible) |
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Protect, enhance, restore the site |
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Build on brownfields, not greenfields |
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Locate to minimize transportation impacts |
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Maximize energy efficiency |
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Use renewable energy -- for heat, cooling, daylighting, electrical generation, etc. |
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Use materials efficiently |
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Select environmentally friendly building materials |
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Conserve water |
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Create a healthy indoor environment |
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Promote recycling by building occupants and including during construction |
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Employ building commissioning |
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Utilize green operations and maintenance |
For an in-depth discussion of green design, see Facilities Managers Guide to Green Building Design.
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