What is Sustainable Design?
Sustainable Design is the philosophy of designing the built environment and corresponding building systems with an intelligent integration of technology and nature; in order to reduce environmental impacts, optimize a building's performance, promote occupant health and productivity, increase energy effficiency, and reduce operating costs.
Why consider Sustainable Design?
Buildings Consume:
-
40% of mined materials
-
40% of processed materials
-
40% of total energy
-
25% of virgin wood resources
-
16% of water suply
Buildings Produce:
-
40% of landfill waste
-
40% of CO2 emissions
-
50% of ozone-depleting CFC's
People are Directly Affected:
-
Most people spend 80-90% of their time indoors
-
30% of indoor environments suffer from poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
-
Approximately $70 Million spent per year in the USA to remediate issues caused by poor IAQ
Primary Objectives of Sustainable Design:
ENERGY: Reduce energy consumption and operational costs.
MATERIALS: Maximize the use of sustainable materials.
AIR QUALITY: Minimize negative impacts on IAQ.
PRODUCTIVITY: Improve the health, motivation, and productivity of human occupants.

