1. Green roofs and walls - Green roofs and walls use vegetation to cover a building’s exterior or roof. They improve the building’s insulation and air quality, while also reducing the amount of stormwater runoff.
2. Passive solar design - Passive solar is the design of buildings that take advantage of the sun’s natural heat and light. This means that buildings are designed to maximize the amount of sunlight that enters the building, which reduces energy costs.
3. Energy-efficient systems - Energy-efficient systems use less energy without compromising performance. These systems include LED lighting, high-efficiency HVAC systems, and high-performance building envelopes that reduce energy loss.
4. Circular design - Circular design is an approach to architecture that focuses on creating closed-loop systems, where all waste is eliminated and everything is reused, repurposed, or recycled.
5. Biomimicry - Biomimicry is the design and production of materials, structures, and systems that are modeled on biological systems. These systems are designed to be more energy efficient, more sustainable, and more resilient.
6. Living buildings - Living buildings are buildings that are designed to be in harmony with their environment, generating all of their own energy and treating all waste on-site. These buildings mimic the systems and processes found in natural ecosystems.
7. Net-zero energy buildings - Net-zero energy buildings are buildings that produce as much energy as they consume over the course of a year. These buildings use high-efficiency systems and renewable energy sources.
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