
Green Building Expertise
Unity House at Unity College
Photo Credit: Unity College
The success of any green building project relies on the expertise that is involved during various stages of the project – pre-design, design, construction, implementation, operations and management, etc. Assembling the appropriate group of external consultants is a challenging task that involves proper research of the field in question as well as valued recommendations from reliable sources. The crucial expertise of the project team comes from the careful selection of experts such as the architects, HVAC/MEP/lighting engineers as well contractors and project managers.
In-house decision-makers such as facility managers, business officers and sustainability coordinators, and in particular those with experience in sustainable construction/renovation practice, also play a critical role in initiating and managing the institutional processes involved in the realization of a campus green building project.
This page provides information on understanding the nitty-gritty of the integrated design process as well as selecting design and construction professionals. Resources such as directory listings of green contractors and accredited professionals are also included on this page.
- Introduction to Green Building
- Expert Role
- Project Management: Integrated Design and LEED Roadmap
- Building Operations Mangement
INTRODUCTION TO GREEN BUILDING
An introduction to the design and development of a green building project:
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Introduction to Building Green: Optimizing Sustainability - Whole Building Design Guide
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Glossary of Green Building Terms and Products - Green Building Advisor
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Green Building Introduction: Building your case - Net Impact (Geared towards students but is useful to business managers/administrations)
EXPERT ROLE
Resources that describe the role of various experts in the green building design and construction process:
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Information on the management of green building projects (the design, commissioning, and delivery aspects of a green building project):
Integrated Design
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Roadmap for the Integrated Design Process - Building Science
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Integrated Design Phase Guide - Harvard Green Building Resource
Pre-Design
Design
Development
Construction
Occupancy
Commissioning
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Defining Building Commissioning - Whole Building Design Guide
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Commissioning Resource Center - Portland Energy Conservation Inc
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Commercial Buildings: Commissioning - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
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Commercial Buildings: Performance Measurement - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Roadmap
Delivery (Design and Construction) Methods
- Guidance on How to Plan a Deliver Project - Whole Building Design Guide
- Choosing a Delivery Method and Introduction - Construction Management Association of America
- Introduction to Project Planning Managing and Delivery - Whole Building Design Guide
- Guide on Assembling Project Delivery Teams - Whole Building Design Guide
- Project Delivery and Controls - Whole Building Design Guide
BUILDING OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
Information on the ongoing management of green building projects to ensure that they meet energy savings and other operational targets.
Retrocommissioning
- Penn State Continuous Commissioning Program - Pennsylvania State University
- Retrocommissioning - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Retrocommissioning at UIUC (Video Presentation) - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Utilities and Energy Management
- Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL) - Texas A&M University
- Utilities & Energy Management - Texas A&M University

