Can Sustainable Design Be Competitive?

Abstract

Sustainable buildings are the future of the construction industry. Governments and agencies are implementing tax credits and incentives to encourage new projects to use green design. There is still the perception that sustainable design is more costly than traditional construction methods. The first step to help more projects be sustainable is to understand what these incentives are and how they lower costs. Secondly, people who are not in the construction industry lack understanding as to what sustainable design is and the benefits are of using it. The results of a survey showed that the general public is still not aware of how sustainable design works, can be used in residential, multifamily homes, and how it can save money over the life time of a building. Sustainable design has a 2% higher premium when compared to traditional, but there is a solution to this. When using the cost savings during the design phase, tax credits and incentives this 2% increase is taken out of the equation. By looking at buildings that use these tools and data, we can see how sustainable design is affordable.