Sustainable design is more than a process of reducing environmental impact. It is rethinking the relationship between humans and nature. It is a holistic approach that incorporates environmental concerns into the design process from the start. At Perkins+Will, sustainability is an essential part of everything we do. It is our philosophy to design buildings that contribute to human well-being while enhancing the future of our planet. The following sustainable design methods benefit society and provide direct financial returns to our clients.

Performance and Conservation. Sustainable design promotes energy and water efficiency and conservation, resulting in preservation of potable water and non-renewable natural resources. Consuming lowered amounts of energy and water could ultimately result in significant cost savings for the client as utility rates increase for these services.

Strategic building orientation and site design, integrated energy system design, careful mechanical system analysis and high performance building envelope design reduces the negative impact of a building on its ecosystem. Sustainably-designed commercial buildings can routinely see a 30-35% reduction in operating costs over buildings designed to minimum code standards.

A commitment to the selection and procurement of sustainably-harvested materials, closed-loop manufacturing, rapidly-renewable resources and resource-efficient materials minimizes the use of finite resources, while encouraging the growth of alternative-material industries.

Society and Sustainability.Employees are the most valuable asset of most organizations. Sustainable design acknowledges the importance of human health and comfort in worker recruiting, retention and productivity. Substantial improvements to the indoor environment can be made by understanding the effects of light, temperature, humidity and airflow on human health and comfort.

Careful analysis of site and solar orientation offers opportunities to maximize daylight penetration, minimizing dependence on artificial lighting. Noxious materials can be eliminated and generous amounts of fresh air can be provided. These strategies have been shown to enhance human health, reduce absenteeism and insurance rates and increase productivity and employee retention.

Community and Ecosystem Enhancement.Our sustainable design philosophy employs cost-effective and site specific strategies to enhance local ecosystems through the planting of native landscaping, preservation of open space and wildlife habitat, and restoration of natural water cycles. The net result is increased local biodiversity, improved surface water quality and stabilized microclimates.

As leaders in the market, Perkins+Will offers our clients all of the opportunities and benefits of sustainably-designed buildings.