Ecological design: what is it? The essential design challenge is to make things that fit onto a planet that has a biosphere. Nature is the standard for this: nature has been at this design problem for 3.8 billion years. Anything that did not work out well was recalled by the manufacturer. When we get it right, nature becomes the standard for houses, for towns, for farms, for industry.

The problems we have created cannot be solved at the level of thinking that created them.

Today, energy use in commercial buildings contributes about 64 million tonnes of GHGs. If we do nothing, this figure will rise to 86 million tonnes [over the next 30 years].

• Planning Sustainable Sites
• Improving Energy Efficiency
• Conserving Materials and Resources
• Enhancing Indoor Environmental Quality
• Safeguarding Water
• Improving the Design/Build Process

• Integrated Design Team
• Energy
• Water
• Landscape
• Materials
• Waste
• Construction
• Indoor Environmental Quality
• Life-Cycle Assessment

• Energy Efficiency (identifying design strategies to reduce building operating energy use);
• Resource Conservation (identifying strategies for land, materials and water resource conservation, construction management conservation, and human wastes conservation);
• Occupant Health and Well-Being (identifying strategies to create good indoor environmental quality, including thermal quality, indoor air quality, lighting and acoustic quality);
• Inter-relationships and Conflicts (identifying important areas of trade-of between the goals).

• Site Design And Planning
• Building Energy Use
• Indoor Environment
• Material And Product Selection
• Water Management
• Construction Administration
• Commissioning
• Operations And Maintenance

• Siting and Form
• Landscape
• Transportation
• Envelope and Space Planning
• Materials
• Water Systems
• Electrical Systems
• HVAC Systems
• Control Systems
• Construction Management
• Commissioning

• Pennsylvania's first green building (case study)
• A high performance green building -- DEP's Ebensburg Office (case study)
• Model Green Office leasing specifications (plus an on-line order form for Model Green Office leasing specifications)
• High-Performance Green Buildings (plus an on-line order form for High-Performance Green Buildings)
• These guidelines have comprehensive and practical design information for the following areas:
• Green Design Systems
• Green Design Process
• Case Studies
• References and Resources

• Energy efficiency project sites
• NRCan's experience project overview
• Savings to date
• Benefits of FBI

• Green Procurement
• Waste Management
• Energy Conservation
• Fleet Management
• Water Conservation
• Land Use Management
• Human Resource Management
• Environmental Management Systems
• Compliance Promotion and Assurance
• Climate Change

Urban designers and planners, architects, the makers of building materials--indeed, anyone associated with creating the built environment--have a major but as yet unrealized role to play in enhancing the sustainability of our cities in the 21st Century.

--William Rees, Green Building Challenge, 1998

Whole systems design analyzes every building system and integrates them so that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

--William Reed, The Hillier Group, 1997

Kalke Village shopping complex green roof, Vienna

• indoor air quality
• water conservation
• waste management
• electricity production
• non-toxic materials
• recycled materials
• daylighting
• energy efficiency

• Green Buildings Conferences (including case studies of green buildings)
• CANMET
• The C-2000 Program
• Green Building News & Events
• Energy and Environment Organizations
• Energy and Environment Information & Tools
• Advanced Technologies Guide
• Advanced Buildings Newsletter

• Energy Efficiency and Related Links Page
• This web page has many useful and constantly updated links

• General
• Energy Efficiency
• Reuse / Recycling
• Indoor Air Quality
• Case Studies
• Computer Resources and Electronic Databases

• Architecture
• Community and Urban Planning
• Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• mechanical Engineering
• Environmental Consulting
• General Contracting
• Indoor Air Quality Contracting
• Interior Design
• Landscape Architecture
• Property Development
• Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

• Paper,
• Office Equipment and Furniture,
• Energy,
• Food/Water,
• Pollution,
• Alternative Transportation
• Green Building

• GreenSpec: information on how to order this comprehensive guide of over 1200 green building products and materials.
• Green Building Advisor
• Product reviews
• E Build Library 3.0
• Green Building Resource Guide: over 200 books, periodicals, and other resources on green building and related topics organized into six topic areas.
• The EBN newsletter current and issues

• Building Principals
• Building Programs
• Rating Systems
• US Building Efforts
• Affordable Housing
• Success Stories
• Codes / Ordinances
• Articles / Publications
• Educational Materials
• Other Resources

• Commissioning for Energy Efficiency
• Saving Energy Through Operation and Maintenance
• Using Solar Energy
• Saving Water and Heating It Efficiently
• Purchasing for Energy Efficiency (HVAC; Lighting; Windows; Building Equipment)

• Professional issues
• Publications for sale (they offer a wide range of useful publications)
• Sustainable design information (including information on how to order the AIA Environmental Resource Guide)
• Healthy building information
• Green building case studies available on the web (see case study section, below, for a list of buildings)
• Upcoming conferences, workshops and major events

• Air/Energy
• Urban

• Building Balance Point
• Whole Building Energy Use: Simulation and Prediction for Retrofits
• HVAC Components and Systems
• Thermal Mass in Passive Solar and Energy Conserving Buildings
• Observing Air Flow in Buildings
• The Dynamic Pattern of Shading and Solar Heat Gain Through Windows
• Health in the Built Environment: Indoor Air Quality
• Taking a Building's Temperature:
• Measurement and Display of Thermal Performance of Buildings
• Interior Illuminance, Daylight Controls and Occupant Response
• Glazing Performance

• Healthy Hospitals: Environmental Improvements through Environmental Accounting (Source: U.S. EPA)
• Guidebook of Part Cleaning Alternatives
• Greening Hotel Operations (Green Seal)

• Introductory Module
• Sustainable Design Module
• Sustainable Building Materials Module
• Recycling and Reuse Module
• Case Studies Module (not yet online)

• Designing Safe Streets and Neighborhoods
• The Economic Benefits of Walkable Communities
• Land Use Planning for Safe, Crime-Free Neighborhoods
• Why People Don't Walk & What City Planners Can Do About It

• Land Use, Transportation, and Air Quality
• Housing & Community Development
• Greening
• Water and Waste
• Recycling and Waste
• Energy
• Community Economic Development
• Map of Proposed Site Layout

• Soil / Sediment Remediation
• Groundwater Remediation
• Water / Wastewater Treatment
• Liquid Waste Treatment / Reclamation
• Air Pollution Control
• Solid Waste Handling & Treatment
• Instrumentation & Monitoring
• Energy Efficiency / Conservation
• Recycling / Waste Management
• Habitat Rehabilitation
• Software and Modelling
• Containment Technologies

• Environmentally Preferred Products
• Life Cycle Cost Analysis via BEES
• Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines
• Energy Conservation
• Water Conservation
• Natural Landscaping
• Solar Applications - President's Million Solar Roofs Initiative
• Construction Debris Recycling
• Indoor Air Quality

• Resources and information on green and healthy buildings.
• Many US West Coast sources.

• The reference work for architects and building specifiers on green products by generic type.
• Dense, but information packed; covers life-cycle environmental impacts of many building materials.
• Purchasing information on the web.

• This is an excellent, general resource with over 300 pages of information to help architects, developers, building owners, government officials, and others implement sustainable development practices.
• It covers the following topics: Economics and Environment; Pre-Design Issues Site Issues (Sustainable Site Design; Water Issues; Site Materials and Equipment); Building Design (Passive Solar Design; Daylighting; Building Envelope; Renewable Energy; Building Systems and Indoor Environmental Quality; HVAC; Electrical Systems; Plumbing Systems; Indoor Air Quality; Acoustics; Building Commissioning; Materials and Specifications; Materials; Specifications); The Construction Process; and Operations and Maintenance.

• This is a magazine that focuses on sustainable design in Great Britain.
• Can be understood by architects, engineers, or lay people.

• This is an excellent general resource on sustainable design.
• It discusses design process, strategies, building elements, and building evaluation.
• It was first published in Europe, which makes some of the units unusual to the North American reader.
• It can be ordered from the American Book Center, at 1-800-556-9419.

If one word could summarize the approach used on Audubon House, it would be optimization. If one word could summarize the lost opportunities in how we typically build, it would be compliance.

--Randolph R. Croxton, FAIA, Audubon House, 1999

Sustainable urban development is ultimately a cultural statement about ourselves, how we want to live, and our ability to manage out needs, desires, and dreams in ways that are effective and caring.

--P. Jacobs, "Sustainable Urban Development," Architecture in the Year 2000: RAIC Conference, 1992

• Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies
• Burnaby Mountain Secondary School
• CK Choi BuildingHeritage Woods Secondary School
• North Cariboo Community College
• The Liu Centre for Study of Global Issues
• 2211 West 4th Avenue
• Beausoleil Solar Aquatics
• BC Cancer Research Centre
• Crestwood Corporate Centre Building 2
• Materials Testing Facility
• Revenue Canada Building
• Richmond City Hall
• The Semiahmoo Library & RCMP Centre
• Telus Office Building
• Vancouver Island Technology Centre
• White Rock Operations Centre

• Ecosystem Protection,
• Energy and Water Conservation
• Pollution Prevention
• Indoor Environmental Quality.

• ANGUS Technopole, Montreal, Quebec
• TELUS William Farrell Building Upgrade, Vancouver, B.C.
• York University Computing Science Building, Toronto, Ontario
• Condominium at 77 Governors Rd , Dundas, Ontario

• Conservation Coop, Ottawa, Canada
• PRISMA Mixed Use Building, Germany
• Klosterenga Residence, Norway
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Facility
• Ridgehaven Green Demonstration Building, USA
• Thoreau Centre for Sustainability, USA
• Cambridge CoHousing, USA

• Green on the Grand Office Building
• Mountain Equipment Co-Op
• Surrey Tax Centre
• The Conservation Co-operative Apartments
• Condominium at 77 Governors Road
• YMCA Environmental Learning Centre
• Paterson Walk
• BC Telus Building
• Niigon: A Sustainable First Nation Community

• 2211 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, Canada
• CK Choi Institute of Asian Research, UBC, Vancouver, Canada
• University of Victoria Engineering Wing, Victoria, Canada
• Crestwood, Richmond, Canada
• ING Bank, Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Mariendalsvej Seniors Housing Project, Netherlands
• Ecolonia, Alpheen, Netherlands
• Ecover, Oostmalle, Belgium
• Valdemarsgade, Slagelse, Denmark
• Playa Vista, Los Angeles, USA
• Pilson East, Chicago, USA
• Stapleton Redevelopment, Denver, USA
• Village Homes, Davis California, USA
• Seventh Generation System Center, Friday Harbour, San Juan Is., USA
• Benedict Commons, Aspen, Colorado, USA
• Centre For Regenerative Studies, California State University, Pomona, USA
• Real Goods Solar Living Center, Hopland, California, USA
• Civano, Tuscon, Arizona, USA
• Los Angeles EcoVillage, USA
• Bronx Community Paper Company, New York, USA
• Patagonia, Reno, Nevada, USA
• Pine Street Cohousing, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
• Cape Charles Eco Industrial Park, Northampton, Virginia, USA
• Boeing Longacres Park, Seattle, USA
• Haymount, Virginia, USA
• Sydney 2000 Olympic Village, Australia

• Body Shop U.S. Headquarters, Wake Forest, NC
• Way Station, Frederick, MD
• Women's Humane Society Animal Shelter, Bensalem, PA
• National Public Radio Headquarters, Washington, DC
• New Canaan Nature Center Solar Greenhouse, New Canaan, CN
• Prince Street Technologies, Atlanta, GA
• Durant Middle School, Wake County, NC
• Miller SQA Building, Holland, MI
• Center for Regenerative Studies, Pomona,CA
• Natural Resource Defense Council Headquarters
• New York City
• CCI Center, Pittsburgh
• Denver Dry Building, Denver
• Duracell Headquarters, Bethel, Connecticut
• Georgia Tech Aquatic Center (Olympic Natatorium), Atlanta
• Kansas City Zoo Deramus Education Pavilion, Kansas City, Missouri
• McKinney ISD Sustainable Elementary School (completion date: July 2000)
• Missouri Historical Society Museum, St. Louis
• New York Life Building, Kansas City, Missouri
• Real Goods Solar Living Center, Hopland, California
• REI Seattle Flagship Store, Seattle; Washington
• The Greening of the White House

• Canada
• United States
• Germany
• United Kingdom
• The Netherlands
• Australia

• Bachelor Enlisted Quarters, US Navy
• New Headquarters, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Research Triangle Park, EPA
• Regional Building and Laboratory, EPA and General Services Administration (GSA)
• 8th Avenue Station, Texas, US Postal Service
• Weather Station, National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration
• Office Renovations, Department of Defense (DOD) and Pentagon
• Office Renovations, EPA
• Parking Lot, Department of Defense (DOD) and Pentagon

• 01100 Environmental Requirements
• 01120 Environmental Impact of Materials
• 01445 Testing for Indoor Air Quality, Baseline IAQ, and Materials
• 01450 Sequence of Finishes Installation
• 01690 Waste Materials Management and Recycling

• Office tower Atlanta
• ING Bank, Amsterdam
• Miller SQA Building
• West Bend Mutual Insurance Headquarters
• Verifone
• Planmatics Inc., Montreal, Quebec
• San Diego Federal Building and Courthouse
• Pennsylvania Power and Light
• Reno Post Office
• Wal-Mart Eco-Mart
• Target
• Larry's Markets, Seattle, WA
• Staples Incorporated, Seattle, Washington
• Vic's Market, Sacramento, California

• The Commonwealth of Australia's Department of Finance & Administration (DOFA)
• Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Aberdeen, MD
• Inglewood Center, Largo, MD
• 901 Cherry, Offices for Gap Inc., Sunnyvale, CA
• City of San Diego Department of Environmental Services, San Diego, CA
• Barney Memorial Hall, Denison University, Granville, OH
• Building 33 Complex, Washington Navy Yard, Washington DC
• Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN
• SC Johnson Facility, Racine, WI

• Museum of Anthropology - Vancouver, BC, Canada
• Phoenix Central Library - Phoenix, AZ
• The Audubon House - New York, NY
• Fitness Center at the University of Virginia - Charlottesville, VA
• Architecture School at the University of Virginia - Charlottesville, VA
• Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - Cleveland, OH
• Gund-Ream Sod Roofed Ranch House - Moscow, ID
• A Tale of Two Houses - Cairo, Egypt
• Waverly Mansion - West Point, MS
• Siegel House - Davis, CA
• Monterey Bay Aquarium - Monterey, CA
• Dog Trot: A Vernacular Response - French Camp, MS
• Ojai Section: Daylighting in Maynard Lyndon Schools - Ojai, CA
• REI Flagship Store Daylighting Study - Seattle, WA
• First Jacobs House - Madison, WI
• Mt. Angel Library - St. Benedict, OR
• Water Pollution Control Laboratory - Portland, OR
• Real Goods Solar Living Center - Hopland, CA

• Cambria Office
• Southcentral Regional Office
• Adam Joseph Lewis Center, Oberlin College
• Thoreau Center for Sustainability
• Zion Visitor Center and Comfort Station

• Cambridge Cohousing
• Durant Road Middle School
• Ridgehaven Green Demonstration Building
• Thoreau Center for Sustainability
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Research Facility

• Navy Federal Credit Union Headquarters Renovation
• Hennepin County Public Works Facility
• Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies
• Gateway Center at The Disney Wilderness Preserve
• Sustainable Engineering Building
• BC Gas Operations Centre
• PA DEP Southcentral Regional Office
• PA DEP Ebensburg Office
• Inn of the Anasazi
• Dewees Island
• Boeing Longacre Park
• Capital Circle Office Center
• Continental Office Plaza
• Duracell
• Rocky Mountain Institute
• Veazey Parrott & Shoulders Offices
• Banana Republic
• Felissimo
• Wal-Mart Eco-Mart
• North Cascades Environmental Learning Center

• solar power cells, which turn the house into a mini-power station and feed power into the grid
• solar water heaters
• passive solar design
• location near public transit and amenities

• water-saving faucets and fixtures
• a dual water system allows recycled water use for toilets and gardens

• vinyl / PVC flooring was avoided
• Australian plantation timber and Forest Stewardship Council certified "sustainable" timber

• DEP Southcentral Regional Headquarters
• The CCI Center
• Audubon at Beechwood
• The Burke Building
• Women's Humane Society
• Lovell Place
• Saint Francis College
• PCTA Headquarters
• Penn Center West
• Buchart Horn
• The Intelligent Workplace
• David L. Lawrence Convention Center

• Energy Resource Centre
• Miller SQA Building
• Ridgehaven

• Retail
• Healthcare
• Office and Service Buildings
• Industrial and Manufacturing
• Hospitality and Entertainment
• K-12 Education
• Colleges and Universities
• Local, State, and Federal Government