Ten Steps to a Sustainable Building
|
Step One: Set Design Goals
The design goals for the building should be clearly defined
and clearly communicated to all team members. The goals
for a building design projects are driven by one of three
principle orientations:
- Capital Costs
For example, the goal may be set to meet the requirements
of LEED Certified and save 25% on energy costs OR
the goal may be to design a building with no increase
in first costs.
- Finanances
For example, the goal may be set to achieve 35%
to 50% energy savings as well as meet the requirements
of LEED Silver (must have a payback of less than
6 years).
- Environment
For example, the goal may be to demonstrate leadership
by achieving LEED Gold and a 50% energy savings.
Example Buildings:
Step Two: Select the Right Team
Team members should possess the following characteristics:
- a wide range of knowledge
- significant previous experience with green buildings
- a commitment to achieving energy efficiency,
this interest is especially important for the mechanical
engineer and architect to share
Step Three: Add Sustainability Expert to the Team
The design team should include a sustainability expert who
is independent of the design architect and engineers; these
professionals are thus able to focus on achieving a high
performance building. The sustainability expert should be
familiar with energy and green technologies, as well as
with LEED requirements. The sustainability expert has
several roles:
- to provide innovative suggestions for saving energy
and improving the environmental performance of buildings
- to perform building energy and daylighting
simulations
- to be the advocate for the highest environmental
building standards
Step Four: Avoid Percentage-Based Fees
Traditional design billing, a percentage of the total
construction cost, provides no incentive for downsizing
equipment or increased energy efficiency. It is
recommended that building design teams be reimbursed on
a fixed-fee basis, or better yet, on a performance
basis.
Step Five: Add Green Technologies Early in Design Process
As soon as the functional plan is complete, begin thinking
about environmentally-friendly and energy-saving concepts.
This early planning is beneficial, as the cost of adding
green measures increases as the design develops. It is wise
to develop a simple energy model based on the floor plans
in order to begin testing the role of massing and orientation
on building performance. This model can be updated as the
design progresses.
Step Six: Integrated Design Process
A series of workshops is a good way to progress through
the building design process. The workshops are intended
to encourage open dialogue between disciplines to determine
the best means of meeting energy and sustainability goals.
The most effective workshops have the following characteristics:
- a series of two to five workshops (based on
the size and complexity of the building)
- each workshop focussed on a single element of
the overall building design, for example siting,
envelope, mechanical, lighting, interior design/materials
- all team members participate, but most
importantly the building owner, architect, mechanical
and electrical engineers, energy expert and cost
consultant
- others involved in the project could
also attend workshops, for example the structural
engineer, interior designer, facilities manager,
or the tenant
- workshop results are summarized by the sustainability
expert and circulated to the entire design group
Example Buildings:
Step Seven: Apply Cost Trade-offs
Most energy-efficiency technologies have an impact on the
size and design of the building heating, cooling,
and lighting systems. Only a full cost accounting analysis
can identify those places where energy efficiency measures
result in financial benefits. For example, an energy-efficient
building envelope may allow for downsizing in mechanical
equipment and the elimination of perimeter heating. In many
cases, the incremental cost of innovative measures can be
lower than or equal to the price of the conventional practice
by accounting for the downsizing of systems.
Example Buildings:
Step Eight: Be Open to New Ideas
Conventional practices are not always the best practices.
The best sustainable buildings have broken with tradition
and implemented innovations such as the following:
- radiant cooling panels
- high-performance windows (to eliminate perimeter
heating)
- under floor air distribution
- stormwater retention ponds (for cooling)
- residential HRVs in apartment buildings
Step Nine: Incorporate Sustainability into All Building
Areas
A truly sustainable building must address all environmental
impacts of building. The design should address site development,
water consumption, energy use, material selection, waste
management and indoor environment. Similarly, energy efficiency
plans should address all energy and uses: heating, cooling,
fans, lighting, water heating and process loads.
Step Ten: Develop a Commissioning Plan
To ensure systems are operated the way they were intended
to work, and that anticipated savings are realized, building commissioning is an important part
of the process. Building commissioning enhances occupant
and operating staff satisfaction, and reduces the number
of call-backs conducted by the construction and installation
teams. It is preferable to have the commissioning be conducted
by an agency separate from the design team. |
|
 |
 Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre, University of Toronto
Mississauga, Toronto
 University of Ottawa Biology building
Ottawa, Ontario
 Cambridge City Hall, Cambridge, Ontario LEED Gold targeted
 M5V Condo Sales Centre,
LEED Gold Toronto, Ontario
 Mountain Equipment Co-op
LEED Gold
Ottawa, Ontario |
