Measuring Performance in Sustainable Buildings

Measuring Performance in Sustainable Buildings

Sustainable building practices have led to a significant reduction in the amount of energy and materials required to construct and maintain modern buildings. From green architectural design to eco-friendly building operations solutions, sustainable buildings aim to reduce, reuse, and recycle to further both financial and ecological goals. The key to future development in this field is the accurate measurement of success with regard to projected sustainability, which will help to drive increasingly efficient design and construction methods.

Individual Monitoring

The best way to determine whether sustainable practices are effective once construction is complete is individual property monitoring. Recording the amount of energy or water consumed by each building is crucial to developing accurate data points that can be used to measure the impact of green building practices. Furthermore, data quality and consistency are also important to ensure accuracy in sustainability measurements. Thus, the development of a consistent and uniform monitoring system is necessary to fully understand the impact of sustainable architecture, building materials, and operational efforts in terms of beneficial results.

Sustainability Benchmarks

In addition to accurate data collection, sustainability benchmarks are needed in the determination of building performance. A universal and standardized rating system allows organizations to measure the efficacy of sustainable practices when compared with buildings that lack sustainable elements. Once a standard rubric has been developed to rate performance, it can be used to determine the success and cost-effectiveness of the green building practices used. Currently, accepted benchmarks include the United States Green Building Council’s LEED rating system and the ENERGY STAR qualification.

Are you interested in learning more about how a greener, more sustainable building could benefit you? At Sears Gerbo Architecture, our Tucson architects can help you develop and implement a green building design aimed toward both aesthetic appeal and functional efficiency. Please stop by our website to find out more about sustainable architecture and building practices, or contact us by phone at (520) 722-5079 to discuss your next building project.