Sustainable building design is fundamentally context- and site-specific. Every building and development project will require you to ask the same questions about sustainable building strategies, yet will deliver very different answers. For each project, the design team must analyze the economic, social and environmental benefits of different strategies, and weigh priorities against the time and resource costs needed to acheive them.

For example, if a development is in an area where water resources are limited, you may direct your development team to focus their design efforts on water-efficient building systems and plumbing fixtures, in order to protect limited water resources and reduce operating costs for the users.

Or perhaps you acquire a vacant site on which you can control the orientation of the building footprint. You may choose to orient the long side of building toward the south to maximize solar heat gain in the winter and significantly lower the building's heating costs.

For all these reasons, thinking about sustainability early in the project is crucial.  But figuring out what sustainable elements will have what impact on your project can be a daunting task.  The number of green and sustainable building standards and certifications that have arisen over the last few years often help ease the decision-making process and provide an excellent menu of options to a sustainable developer. On the other hand, each program has its own set of requirements necessitating coordination and planning.

To get started, below are some recommendations for first steps toward sustainable building.

• Use a system of integrated design: Incorporate sustainable strategies into planning from the beginning to increase building system efficiency and take full advantage of sustainable design elements.
• Use ENERGY STAR appliances to reduce electricity use.
• Use low-emission paints and finishing materials to reduce air toxins.
• Construct a solid building envelope. Consider panel construction, tight insulation and efficient windows to reduce heating and cooling costs.
• Incorporate recycled and locally produced materials when possible and recycle the construction waste produced by the project to reduce the environmental footprint.
• Landscape with permeable paving and native plants to address water conservation and storm water management.