Sustainability has become a driver of innovation in the built environment, but the affordability of sustainable building remains a significant challenge. This book takes a critical view of the real cost of green building. It provides readers with a non-biased evaluation based on empirical construction cost data and sheds light on the affordability of sustainable buildings. Chapters are presented in three parts. The first part lays the foundation to demystify the perception of green buildings being expensive to construct by providing empirical evidence that green buildings, even net-zero buildings, are not necessarily more expensive to build than conventional buildings. The second part presents empirical evidence, common misperceptions of a higher green building construction cost are debunked. The author offers a new framework to explain the construction cost drivers and differences of sustainable buildings: the project characteristics and project team characteristics (human factors). The third part directs the readers’ attention to the important role that human factors play in controlling and reducing construction costs, with a focus on the project design team. A lack of skills, expertise, and experience during the design phase is likely to be the biggest contributor to higher construction costs. Empirical analysis, case studies on LEED-certified buildings, and interviews with project teams are used to present a pathway to more affordable green building at the end. This will be a crucial resource for students and professionals in architecture, engineering, construction management, and planning and energy policy.

The classic reference for high-performance green building delivery systems No longer just a buzzword, sustainable construction is going mainstream and soon will be the norm. Revised to reflect the latest developments of the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system and other tools, Sustainable Construction: Green Building Design and Delivery, Third Edition guides construction and design professionals through the process of developing commercial and institutional high-performance green buildings in today's marketplace. Charles Kibert provides an introduction to green building, covering the theory, history, and state of the industry as well as best practices in building procurement and delivery systems. From green building and Green Globes assessments to building hydrological systems and materials and product selection, this comprehensive text covers all of the factors involved with sustainable construction. In a clear and accessible writing style, Kibert addresses issues so that the reader can think critically and independently as part of the cutting edge in green building. The Third Edition includes up-to-date coverage of: The latest developments leading up to LEED version 4 Carbon neutral design and carbon accounting Green Globes and international building assessment systems The Living Building Challenge Environmental product declarations (EPDs) as the norm for green building products The trends in net-zero energy building design and policies Broad enough to cover the needs of faculty and students and detailed enough to serve as a professional reference, Sustainable Construction, Third Edition is a must for the builder/owner and construction manager looking to take advantage of the opportunities in this rapidly evolving field, the designer looking to be LEED certified, or anyone interested in sustainability.

Green building is the fastest-growing trend to hit since the Internet, bringing with it an enormous range of new products, systems and technologies. Green Building A to Z is an informative, technically accurate and highly visual guide to green building, for both decision-makers and interested citizens. It begins with an introduction to the importance of green buildings and a brief history of the green building movement, outlines the benefits and costs of green buildings, and shows how you can influence the spread of green buildings. The book touches on key issues, such as enhancing water conservation, reducing energy use and creating a conservation economy. Green Building A to Z examines all aspects of green buildings from: Architecture 2030 to Locally sourced materials to Natural ventilation to Solar energy to Zero-net energy buildings More than just a reference, this book emphasizes the importance of green buildings and green developments for a sustainable future. It will be an invaluable resource for businesspeople, homeowners, product manufacturers, developers, building industry professionals and government officials.

Written for contractors and endorsed by the Associated General Contractors of America Written specifically for contractors, this "how-to" book enables you to meet the challenges of green building construction. You'll discover how constructing environmentally friendly, sustainable buildings influences project management, delivery, documentation, and risk. Moreover, the book guides you through these important considerations at all phases of a green construction project, including: Bidding and contracting Managing green design when the contractor works as a design builder Subcontracting Procurement Construction management Project commissioning and closeout This book is endorsed by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and was written with the assistance and advice of a specially assembled AGC task force. With a focus on the green building process from the contractor's viewpoint, the book avoids endorsing any one green building rating system in favor of presenting the business fundamentals common to them all. Throughout the presentation, flowcharts and other features offer working tools for successfully managing green construction projects. Plus, real-world case studies developed through discussions with the actual contractors involved help you understand exactly what to expect and how to best manage constructing a green building. In short, this is one book that you need to have on hand to be a part of the rapidly growing green building movement.

Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE 2023), July 20–24, 2023, San Francisco, USA

"The members of 7group and Bill Reed are examples writ large of the kind of leadership that is taking this idea of green building and forming it into reality, by helping change minds, building practice, and design process." —from the Foreword by S. Rick Fedrizzi President, CEO, and Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council A whole-building approach to sustainability The integrative design process offers a new path to making better green building decisions and addressing complex issues that threaten living systems. In The Integrative Design Guide to Green Building: Redefining the Practice of Sustainability, 7group's principals and integrative design pioneer Bill Reed introduce design and construction professionals to the concepts of whole building design and whole systems. With integrative thinking that reframes what sustainability means, they provide a how-to guide for architects, designers, engineers, developers, builders, and other professionals on incorporating integrative design into every phase of a project. This practical manual: Explains the philosophy and underpinnings of effective integrative design, addressing systems thinking and building and community design from a whole-living system perspective Details how to implement integrative design from the discovery phase to occupancy, supported by process outlines, itemized tasks, practice examples, case studies, and real-world stories illustrating the nature of this work Explores the deeper understanding of integration that is required to transform architectural practice and our role on the planet This book, both practical and thoughtful, will help you deliver your vision of a sustainable environment. 7group, based in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, includes principals John Boecker, Scot Horst, Tom Keiter, Andrew Lau, Marcus Sheffer, and Brian Toevs, who bring a unique integration of expertise in design, engineering, energy and daylight modeling, materials assessments, commissioning, education, and communications to their work. Internationally recognized thought leaders in the green building movement, they have led countless teams through the practical implementation of integrative design on building projects of all types around the world. 7group also has been directly and deeply involved with the development of the LEED® Green Building Rating System, including experience on more than 100 LEED projects. Scot Horst currently serves as chair of the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Steering Committee.

GREEN BUILDING: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES IN RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION, International Edition provides a current, comprehensive guide to this exciting, emerging field. From core concepts to innovative applications of cutting-edge technology and the latest industry trends, this text offers an in-depth introduction to the construction of "green" homes. Unlike many texts that adopt a product-oriented approach, this book emphasizes the crucial planning, processes, and execution methods necessary for effective, environmentally sound construction. This text demonstrates that Earth-friendly products and energy-efficient materials take planning in order to make a building truly green. This visionary text helps students and professionals develop the knowledge and skills to "think green" from start to finish, empowering and inspiring them to build truly sustainable homes.

Life-Cycle Cost Models for Green Buildings: With Optimal Green Star Credits illustrates the tools and methods for developing a life-cycle cost model that incorporates developer constraints while maximizing the number of credit points achieved. The book identifies the interdependencies among various credits in the Green Star environmental rating system. Afterwards, life-cycle cost is calculated by considering six main central business districts (CBDs) of Australia. The net present value (NPV) technique is used to calculate life-cycle costs. Further, a sensitivity analysis is also carried out for selected credits to identify the changes to life-cycle cost to the changes in discount rate. Once all the life-cycle cost data is calculated, this book illustrates the development of the proposed model using a Java application which allows users to evaluate each key criterion of green buildings separately. The book is designed to provide ample knowledge of the various options available to get green building certification and the further implications in-terms of life-cycle. - Provides cost saving and management advice for keeping a green building project operating on time and budget throughout their life-cycle - Expertly explains the various options available for gaining green building certification - Allows users to build life-cycle cost models which is unique to the project at hand

Throughout the world, there is an increasing demand on diminishing natural resources in the industrial, transport, commercial, and residential sectors. Of these, the residential sector uses the most energy on such needs as lighting, water heating, air conditioning, space heating, and refrigeration. This sector alone consumes one-third of the total primary energy resources available. By using green building and smart automation techniques, this demand for energy resources can be lowered. Green Building Management and Smart Automation is an essential scholarly publication that provides an in-depth analysis of design technologies for green building and highlights the smart automation technologies that help in energy conservation, along with various performance metrics that are necessary to facilitate a building to be known as a “Green Smart Building.” Featuring a range of topics such as environmental quality, energy management, and big data analytics, this book is ideal for researchers, engineers, policymakers, government officials, architects, and students.

The Environmental Design Pocketbook 2nd ed places the information you need for sustainable, low energy building design at your fingertips. Packed with diagrams, tools and tips, it cuts through the complex mass of technical data and legislation that faces the designer, and distils all the key guidance into a single reference that is quick, easy to use and points to the facts, figures and performance data that are most important. This 2nd edition is now fully up-to-date with the latest Building Regulations Part L and F legislation (England and Wales), RIBA Plan of Work 2013, new information on the Green Deal and Zero Carbon and contains revised references and further reading sections throughout. Whether used in the classroom, office or on-site, the book guides the designer through the entire process; from the fundamentals to the building details. From future-proofing for a changing climate to rainwater harvesting, retrofit, and zero-carbon technologies - the Pocketbook has got it covered.