Memorial Bench

[ponting]

I am in my 3rd year of my Architecture class, and we are beginning to design commercial building designs. We were told to make it "green", meaning that they want me to design the building more environmentally friendly. How are some ways I can incorporate the "green" into my designs? (right now, we are designing a dentist office)

[andy01]

i did my dissertation on increasing sap ratings through design.

orientation, window size, volume of building to surface area, location of windows in relation to the sun are all good stating points, and dont cost any more money unlike more insulation and better boilers.

pv and wind turbines are add ons which are normally excluded by accountants when the building goes through a costing review.

also look at paasive haus, breeam and cfsh and see what is important for them, such as wild life corridors and reuse of rain water etc