Design, Construct, and Renovate
High-performance buildings use less energy, cost less to operate, and have less of an environmental impact than conventional buildings. To successfully achieve these goals, however, the process of designing, constructing, or renovating a high-performance building must be different from traditional design/build methods.
The greatest opportunities for incorporating energy efficiency and sustainability into a building come in the design phase, but there are additional opportunities during construction and renovation. In fact, renovating an existing building rather than building a new one can be an environmentally-friendly choice since it does not disturb the natural environment or require new infrastructure.
This section provides guidelines, tools, success stories, and links to guide the process of designing, constructing, or renovating a high-performance building. It also explains the key steps and components of a successful green building or renovation project: