Facility design can contribute to energy conservation in several ways. Through recycling existing facilities, building only the minimum to satisfy the functional requirements, and having facilities serve multiple functions, the embodied energy of new building materials and the energy of transporting and constructing them are minimized. In addition, considerable electrical and thermal energy can be saved through facility design that incorporates daylighting and the other passive energy-conserving strategies appropriate to the local climatic environment. Any food service associated with the development could also contribute to energy conservation by emphasizing fresh, locally available items that minimize the amount of energy required for transportation processing, freezing, and refrigeration. Awareness of the cooling sense of moving air and the connection to the natural resource can enhance the user comfort and the visitor experience without air-conditioning.
Fresh air is desired in a resource-related development.
Breezes, the sound of birds or the surf, and the smell of flowers are fundamental to the perception of air. Wind chimes, used in traditional Japanese architecture, serve as a gentle reminder of a cool breeze. The sound of trickling water in a courtyard fountain can impart the perception of coolness. A ceiling fan spinning overhead can provide not only a sensory but also a psychological feeling of a cool breeze. Elimination of electrical outlets in individual lodging units would curtail the use of visitor appliances such as hair dryers and electric cooking utensils.