Whole Building Systems Thinking
Unlike conventional design processes, where components and disciplines are treated separately, sustainable design requires an evaluation of whole systems. When retrofitting an office, consider the space as a whole. This means thinking not only about the lighting, the flooring, the windows, the HVAC system, and the furniture as separate components, but also thinking about the relationship between each of these components and the ways that those relationships create the space, and how that fits with sustainability goals.
Check out the Whole Building Systems section in Explore for information on building systems, their relationship to one another, and the integrated design team necessary to reach sustainability goals.
For example, if a project’s goal is to save energy from lighting and improve occupant comfort, it should think not only about the type of lighting fixtures needed, but also how the space will be used by the occupants, the amount of sunlight streaming through the windows at different times of year, how that light gets bounced into the space, how the light levels are controlled, and even the colors of the walls. By thinking holistically about the lighting system, rather than simply about the lighting components, a more comfortable, efficient, healthy and productive space can be created. In addition, the project “system” is nested within larger systems, such as a watershed, an air shed, a forest, a neighborhood and city, and so forth; these larger systems should also be considered.
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in the Green Procurement Compilation82 Results : Whole Building Systems Thinking
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Systems Thinking - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
Planning and Engagement Processes Systems Thinking Integrative Design Process Collaborative...Life Cycle Perspective (Life Cycle Thinking) Life Cycle Assessment Conductinghttps://sftool.gov › plan › 250 › systems-thinking -
Integrative Design Process > Planted Roof - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
...the table to think about and integrate the planted roof system with the architecture...architecture and other systems of the buildings....Waste Submetering System Overview Integrative Design Process System Impacts Resources...Resources Human Behavior Financial O&M System Bundling Mandates / Standards Resourceshttps://sftool.gov › explore › green-building › section › 77 › planted-roof › integrative-design-process -
LCA in Building Standards and Certification Systems - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
Planning and Engagement Processes Systems Thinking Integrative Design Process Collaborative...Life Cycle Perspective (Life Cycle Thinking) Life Cycle Assessment Conductinghttps://sftool.gov › plan › 628 › lca-building-standards-certification-systems -
Integrative Design Process > HVAC - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
...integrative design process understands that buildings, their components, and their context...representative of the broader whole-building picture....Roof Submetering System Overview Integrative Design Process System Impacts Resources...Resources Human Behavior Financial O&M System Bundling Mandates / Standards Resourceshttps://sftool.gov › explore › green-building › section › 10 › hvac › integrative-design-process -
Green Building Certification Systems - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
Green Building Certification Systems What is a green building certification...certification system? Green building certification systems (GBCS) broaden the focus beyondhttps://sftool.gov › learn › about › 668 › green-building-certification-systems -
What is Sustainability? - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
...designing, constructing and operating buildings and facilities must be identified...Topics Benchmarking To benchmark a building is to measure and rate the performancehttps://sftool.gov › learn › about › 41 › sustainability -
Building Decarbonization - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
...Building Decarbonization Table of Contents Building Decarbonization Greenhouse...Life Cycle Carbon / Total Carbon Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment (WBLCA) Lifehttps://sftool.gov › learn › about › 657 › building-decarbonization -
Integrative Design Process > IEQ - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
...integrative design process understands that buildings, their components, and their context...Roof Submetering System Overview Integrative Design Process System Impacts Resources...Resources Human Behavior Financial O&M System Bundling Mandates / Standards Resourceshttps://sftool.gov › explore › green-building › section › 31 › ieq › integrative-design-process -
Building Certification Standards Crosswalk - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
...within selected commercial building certification systems and standards that federal...Sustainable Federal Buildings (GP) and other sustainable federal building requirements...Crosswalk of Sustainable Federal Building Requirements and Certification Standards...within selected commercial building certification systems and standards that federalhttps://sftool.gov › learn › GRScrosswalk -
Building Energy Storage - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
...Building Energy Storage Introduction As the electric grid evolves from a one-way...to a more complex multi-directional system encompassing numerous distributed energyhttps://sftool.gov › learn › about › 649 › building-energy-storage -
Integrative Design Process - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
Planning and Engagement Processes Systems Thinking Integrative Design Process Collaborative...Life Cycle Perspective (Life Cycle Thinking) Life Cycle Assessment Conductinghttps://sftool.gov › plan › 261 › integrative-design-process -
Building Water Use - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
...Building Water Use Buildings are significant users of the Earth's freshwater...supply. The goal of a responsible building operator should be to encourage ahttps://sftool.gov › learn › about › 45 › building-water -
Buildings and Health - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
...Buildings and Health What is Health? Table of Contents Site Selection and Construction...Health & Wellness Standards and Rating Systems Resources Case Studies Health, ashttps://sftool.gov › learn › about › 576 › buildings-health -
System Bundling > Submetering - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
...utility information or consumption for a system or space, however, its potential is...with centralized building automation and energy management systems....Planted Roof System Overview Integrative Design Process System Impacts Resources...O&M System Bundling Mandates / Standards Resources / Case Studies System Bundlinghttps://sftool.gov › explore › green-building › section › 89 › submetering › system-bundling -
Net Zero Energy Building - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
Reduction and Building Resilience Overview Net Zero Energy Building Transformation...Transformation to Net Zero Energy Buildings Net Zero Energy Building Examples Additional Resourceshttps://sftool.gov › plan › 420 › net-energy-building -
System Overview > Submetering - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
Submetering systems capture utility and building performance data in real time...time. Well-designed submetering systems generate data that can guide management...Planted Roof System Overview Integrative Design Process System Impacts Resources...O&M System Bundling Mandates / Standards Resources / Case Studies System Overviewhttps://sftool.gov › explore › green-building › section › 86 › submetering › system-overview -
System Bundling > Lighting - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
...that component with other related building equipment....Roof Submetering System Overview Integrative Design Process System Impacts Resources...O&M System Bundling Mandates / Standards Resources / Case Studies System Bundlinghttps://sftool.gov › explore › green-building › section › 4 › lighting › system-bundling -
Best Practices & Case Studies - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
...make the case for high-performance building innovations is to point to others'...employed. Return to Agency Green Building Practices Resources government widehttps://sftool.gov › learn › agency-practices › 446 › iswg-case-studies -
Planning to build green - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
...planning and engagement activities: Systems Thinking Integrative Design Process Life...Tools LCA Tools for Buildings Total Workplace Scorecard Building Certification Standardshttps://sftool.gov › plan -
Building Operations and Maintenance Services - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool
Renovation, and Construction Building Systems Upgrades Building Operations and Maintenance...Maintenance Services Building Operations and Maintenance Services Table of Contentshttps://sftool.gov › plan › 268 › building-operations-maintenance-services
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