ABSTRACT
Commercial buildings that pay for their costs and, in some cases, produce more energy than they use, are not a fantasy. Slowly, architects and builders are waking up to the fact that buildings – where most people spend over 90% of their time – do not need to be a major cause of waste or inefficiency. In other words, 78% of the building's cooling needs were needed to offset wasteful inefficiencies. High-rise tower buildings can also enjoy the benefits of efficient construction even though, on average, they require 30% more energy and materials to build and operate. If upgrading an existing building is not an option and the decision to construct a new structure has been made, planning should begin well in advance. A business looking to build a new factory, office building or retail operation should first consider upgrading an existing building before constructing a new one.
