Commercial High Performance Buildings Identifying and documenting exemplary commercial buildings around the country. Measuring and comparing green buildings throughout the world. A whole host of measures will increase a building's efficient use of energy. Everything from lighting to heating and cooling to windows can boost efficiency. When possible, green buildings use products with recycled content and wood that is grown sustainably.
Designers use a whole-buildings approach to create high performance buildings.
Whole building design involves looking at the building as a holistic system rather that as just the sum of its parts. The building's systems, activities, and surrounding environment are examined by a team consisting of the building owner, designer, builder, and operator. To achieve success, the team must work together using the whole building design approach from the early conceptual design phase through to commissioning and operation. The Office of Building Technology, State and Community Programs fosters the development of high performance, green buildings. BTS programs support inventorying commercial high performance buildings , developing tools to measure and compare green buildings , and using the whole-design approach to push the limits of building design.