Swales treat all runoff from Patagonia's distribution and office building in Reno. Efficient fixtures and daylighting put the building's energy use 60 percent below industry standards. Sustainable development can create both economic and environmental value. It is similar to the total quality management movement which proved that it is possible to improve quality and reduce costs, in other words, to achieve the seemingly impossible. These solutions extend our definition of quality to include social and environmental value and capitalize on increased efficiency and productivity.
Green buildings are a good example of sustainable development practices at work.
Through the design of a building's systems, choice of materials, waste stream and energy consumption, a green building minimizes its effect on the environment. Many green buildings cost significantly less to operate and maintain than conventional buildings, allowing financial resources to be reallocated. Businesses are fast realizing that this approach not only has environmental benefits but also improves their effectiveness and competitive advantage. However, this is only half the story. Recent studies by the Rocky Mountain Institute indicate that these operational savings are insignificant in comparison to the potential savings from Design of the Northwest Federal Credit Union headquarters maximizes ventilation and daylight with operable glazing and light shelves.