What is sustainable design? It's a mindset. An everyday part of our practice. An inherent sensitivity to the substantial impact buildings have on the environments of which we are all a part.

Busby Perkins+Will is committed to the design virtues of environmental sustainability and has experienced firsthand the success of green design. We are constantly advancing ideas and creating solutions that contribute to human well-being and the continuing health of our global ecosystem. With over 750 LEED Accredited Professionals on staff (highest level in the industry for 3 consecutive years and more than any other firm in the world), our firm's nationally recognized professionals are consistently delivering innovative, resource-efficient solutions that respond to the needs of our clients and the environments to which we all belong.

We care about how the buildings we design today affect our planet for the years to come. The firm is deeply committed to environmental sustainability; we use a variety of design techniques to conserve energy, reduce negative global impacts, and allow for conscious recycling of materials, and we keep up-to-date with the latest sustainable developments. Our success has been proven through documented reductions in energy consumption during operation, and cost reports indicating no premium on capital costs for integrating a green agenda into the design.

Busby Perkins+Will has the largest portfolio of completed green projects in Canada; we are widely considered one of North America’s leading green architecture firms. While other firms face a steep learning curve, we are perfecting our sustainable design skills at a time when environmental sensitivity is more important, and in higher demand, than ever before. We are fully LEED accredited, and our commitment goes beyond buildings - we also research, educate, and are heavily involved in the development of public policy and sustainable guidelines for Canada and the United States. We keep up-to-date on the latest processes that contribute to our planet, rather than depleting it, and we integrate these developments into our designs. Our efforts have resulted in green buildings that are internationally recognized for their success in dramatically reducing global impacts.

+++

Green building is not simply 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. For the planet, green building offers the promise of dramatically lowered air pollution, improved surface water quality and the preservation of habitat and natural resources for future generations. For people, incorporating green building strategies fosters low energy consumption, minimizes building impact on the natural environment, maximizes sustainable and renewable materials use, and provides significant direct financial returns through:

Energy Management
Strategic building orientation and massing, integrated energy system design and careful mechanical system analysis can result in significant savings in operating costs. Commercial buildings routinely see 50% reductions in energy costs over comparable buildings designed to minimum code standards.

Performance Enhancement: Orientation, Daylighting, Indoor Environmental Quality
Employees are the most valuable asset of most organizations. Green building 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 health and comfort. Daylight can be targeted as the primary source of illumination. Careful analysis of site and solar orientation offers opportunities to fill indoor spaces with natural light and minimize dependence on artificial lighting. Noxious materials can be eliminated and generous amounts of fresh air can be provided. These strategies have all been researched and documented as enhancing human health and productivity.

Resource Conservation
Green buildings incorporate materials that promote environmentally-sensitive industry. A commitment to sustainable forestry, agricultural by-product building materials and closed-loop manufacturing minimizes the depletion of irreplaceable natural resources. Careful selection of materials helps reduce depletion of finite resources, while encouraging the growth of alternative material industries.

Landscape and Hydrology
Green design employs cost effective native plant landscaping to create habitats for native species and to return clean water to the natural hydrological system. These tools increase bio-diversity and improve surface water quality while minimizing maintenance costs.