Cost/Benefit Data
Costing Green: A Comprehensive Cost Database and Budgeting Methodology
This 2004 study from the cost consulting company Davis Langdon Adamson looks at actual construction costs from its extensive database. It compares the cost of green buildings with those of comparably programmed buildings, which did not have sustainable goals. The analysis concludes that many projects achieve sustainable design within their initial budget or with very small supplemental funding. This comprehensive study also includes a point-by-point analysis of LEED categories, a description of factors that influence feasibility and cost, and cost analyses by building type.
Davis Langdon Publications.com webpage link:
http://www.dladamson.com/Attachment%20Files/Research/costinggreen.pdf
PDF file: costinggreen.pdf
A Metropolis Magazine article discusses the study and provides a follow-up interview with Lisa Fay Matthiessen: “Report Disputes Extra Cost of Building Green” (October 2004).
Metropolis Magazine.com webpage link:
http://www.metropolismag.com/cda/story.php?artid=978
PDF version: metropolis-artid=978.pdf
The Costs and Financial Benefits of Green Buildings. This October 2003 report to California's Sustainable Building Task Force by Capital E, in collaboration with the U.S. Green Building Council, concludes that minimal increases in upfront costs of about 2% for green design, on average, result in life cycle savings of 20% of total construction costs—more than ten times the initial investment. The financial benefits include lower energy, waste disposal, and water costs, lower environmental and emissions costs, lower operations and maintenance costs, and savings from increased productivity and health. The data from this report is national in scope and conclusions are broadly applicable to other types of buildings.
California Integrated Waste Management Board.gov webpage link:
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/greenbuilding/design/CostBenefit/Report.pdf
Managing the Costs of Green Buildings
California Integrated Waste Management Board.gov webpage link:
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/greenbuilding/design/ManagingCost.pdf
PDF file: ManagingCost.pdf
GSA LEED™ Cost Study. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) commissioned this study, completed in October 2004, to estimate the costs to develop "green" federal facilities using the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Building Rating System, Version 2.1. The report reviews both the cost implications of achieving Certified, Silver, and Gold LEED ratings. Two GSA building types, new courthouse construction and office building modernization, are evaluated. The study concludes that the selection of credits used to achieve a LEED rating can result in a wide range of costs. When projects take advantage of many "no cost" or "low cost" credit opportunities, the overall construction cost premium can be surprisingly limited, even at higher rating levels.
Whole Building Design Guide.org webpage link:
http://www.wbdg.org/references/ccbdoc.php?i=280
PDF file: gsaleed.pdf
Green Building Saves Money by Reducing Operating Costs. This 2003 Wisconsin Green Building Alliance (WGBA) article describes why “Building Green Means Saving ‘Green’.” Matthew D. Tendler, AIA outlines the economic benefits that can be expected from building an environmentally-friendly facility.
Wisconsin Green Building Alliance.org webpage link:
http://www.wgba.org/artman/publish/article_16.shtml
PDF version: Building-green_means-saving.pdf
Cost-Saving Strategies
“A Guide to Cost-Effective Green Design for Public Building Owners”
Environmental Design + Construction magazine.com webpage link:
http://www.edcmag.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/
BNP__Features__Item/0,4120,107509,00.html
Basic, No-Cost Green Building Strategies
American Institue of Architects webpage link:
http://www.aia.org/SiteObjects/files/18-11-03.pdf
PDF file: AIA-Basic-no-cost-Strategies18-11-03.pdf
TOP 20 No or Low-Cost Green Building Strategies
Global Green .org webpage link:
http://www.globalgreen.org/programs/20ways.html
PDF version: 20ways.pdf