High Performance Buildings
A heritage of building value
The essential nature of true high performance design is that it not only serves to advance sustainable mandates but also serves to increase the positive effect these buildings have on the occupants, the urban environment, and broader society. These buildings not only save energy, save water, and employ healthy materials – they produce greater comfort, produce healthier indoor air quality, provide greater access to natural light, and improve the sense of well-being and connectivity of people in general by providing more beautiful living and working spaces.
Buildings represent nearly 40% of final energy used globally.
If we include the energy consumed in building construction, this number grows to more than 50%. However, large and attractive opportunities exist to reduce buildings’ energy use at a lower societal cost and a higher return than in other sectors.
~World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Energy Efficiency in Buildings