Sustainable Design

The intent of this website is to promote sustainable design, also called "green" or high-performance building. As a licensed architect, and a LEED accredited professional, I believe that it is important to raise awareness that sustainable design provides economic, human, and community benefits, as well as reduced environmental and ecological impacts. This website is divided into three categories:

Economic Benefits

• May be easier to finance because of their durability, healthiness, and flexibility.
• Lifetime costs are lower.
• Operational savings result from energy efficiency and water conservation strategies.

Human Benefits

• Improved occupant satisfaction due to better indoor environment.
• Increased occupant productivity and morale.
• Decreased occupant turnover, and absenteeism.
• Reduced risk of sick building syndrome.

Community Benefits

• Less wind and water erosion during construction.
• Reduced stormwater runoff and watershed pollution.
• Less demand on the community infrastructure for utilities.

There is currently a wealth of data available in the form of charts, graphs, and case studies that illustrate this "Triple Bottom Line." I am creating this site to persuade building professionals, developers, owners, and tenants, who have concerns about the potentially higher "first costs" of sustainable design, that green buildings are actually not more expensive to build, and provide significant lifetime benefits.