The notion that sustainable design always means higher costs has
many schools and universities hesitant to adopt green building
practices. However, the decision not to go green may end up
costing more in long-term operating costs. Education
institutions should take an integrated approach to
sustainability, incorporating it into the building process and
choosing sustainable design features that reduce construction
and operating costs over the life of a building.  Long-Term
Impacts  When budget and sustainability are a priority,
architects should design a project with a comprehensive
understanding of how the final building systems will operate and
make thoughtful design decisions that will enable these systems
to work together to serve multiple purposes.  Although
individual sustainable design features may seem expensive on
their own, looking at their cost impact on other systems can
help justify the cost. The building envelope is one area that
greatly affects the rest of the building, providing numerous
opport