An Architect's Guide for Sustainable Design of Office Buildings
Intent of Guidelines
This guide is directed primarily at architects engaged in the renovation of federal office buildings. It presents a set of design issues and strategies in support of Real Property Services commitment to upgrading existing federal buildings to meet energy, resource use and health standards consistent with sustainable development principles.
An Environmental Management System (EMS) has been prepared to ensure that Real Property Services environmental goals, which are laid out in its Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS), will be met effectively and efficiently. The EMS defines responsibilities, accountability, and priorities for dealing with environmental issues. It includes practices, procedures, and processes for implementing environmental management. The EMS also sets out a comprehensive way to monitor progress. Within this context, several environmental initiatives have been undertaken within RPS to fulfil its commitment to sound environmental practices, including the:
- Greening of the National Master Specifications (NMS) to incorporate environmental criteria into various sections;
- Update of The Environmentally Responsible Construction and Renovation Handbook, intended for property and facilities managers;
- Solid Waste Management Reduction Strategy for Property and Facilities Management;
- Development of building renovation projects under the Federal Building Initiative (FBI);
- Water Audit Methodology Protocol, and Water Management Strategy for Property and Facilities Management.
Scope
As one of the above initiatives, this Guide is specifically intended to provide architects with an update on environmental issues for which design strategies are being developed and implemented in the building industry. That includes the improvement of indoor environmental quality; the effective use of site resources; the reduction in the use of energy, water and materials; the reduction of solid waste; and the utilisation of environmentally responsible building materials. Specific environmental issues such as the management of toxic and hazardous substances, and the management of contaminated sites are not within the scope of the Guide.
Our understanding of environmental issues and appropriate building design responses to address them is, and will remain, a continually evolving field. As new knowledge develops and is validated by Real Property Services, it will be incorporated into later versions of the Guide. Moreover, although emphasis has been placed on renovation projects, the vast majority of the environmental issues and strategies identified in the Guide are equally applicable to new construction.
