Sustainable Building

What Is a Sustainable Building?

A sustainable building is a structure designed and constructed to minimize its negative environmental impact, conserve resources, and promote the health and well-being of its occupants. From initial planning through eventual demolition, every part of the building's life cycle incorporates sustainable practices.

What Makes a Building Sustainable?

Using sustainable building practices from the design phase throughout construction and occupation requires looking at the bigger picture. Each element should mitigate potential negative impacts on climate change and the environment. Whether you're designing a large data center, a hospital, or an educational institution, your organization should consider these key elements of sustainability:

• Efficient energy use: Sustainable buildings incorporate systems and designs that reduce energy consumption, such as high-efficiency HVAC systems, insulation, and LED lighting. Many also incorporate green energy sources, like solar power.
• Water conservation: They reduce the building's water footprint by using technologies and practices to minimize water usage during construction and operation.
• Sustainable materials: Recycled, renewable, and low-impact materials are used in their construction.
• Healthy indoor environment: They ensure occupants are comfortable and productive with good air quality, thermal controls, and acoustics — all elements of indoor environmental quality (IEQ).
• Site selection and impact: Sustainable buildings are strategically located to avoid environmentally sensitive areas, preserve natural habitats, and promote public transportation use.
• Social aspects: They are designed with the well-being of their occupants and the surrounding community in mind.
• Flexibility: A sustainable building should meet the needs of the present while considering climate risk and the needs of future generations.

The Difference Between Green Buildings and Sustainable Buildings

The focus of green buildings is to reduce environmental impact. They emphasize energy efficiency, water conservation, and the use of eco-friendly materials. Sustainable buildings take it a step further by also addressing social and economic factors. All sustainable buildings are green, but not all green buildings are sustainable.

Resources and Sustainable Building Examples

• Case study: Sustainable Transformation: Trane's Thermal Energy Storage System at 11 Madison Avenue, NYC
• Case study: A Journey to Exceeding Decarbonization Goals through AI-enabled Building Technology
• Case study: Hilton Anatole Hotel: An Example of Hilton Hotel Sustainability
• Case study: Retrofit Creates Sustainable Building Model
• Case study: Lake County, Ohio Modernizes Civic Buildings
• Trane and Northern Illinois University Kick Off Energy-Saving Program for a More Sustainable Future
• Your building’s decarbonization strategy starts here
• Carbon Neutral Data Center Cooling

To discover how you can upgrade your existing building or plan new construction to create a more sustainable building, contact your local Trane expert today.