Sustainable design, at its best, is multidisciplinary collaboration interwoven through all the phases of a project. Sustainable design considers the life cycle andembodied energy costs of each aspect of a building, and looks for synergies.

Life cycle costs are the bills an owner pays year after year for energy, water, maintenance, repairs and utilities. Using life cycle cost analysis, all the costs of a design are considered to make the best building decision.

Embodied energy is what it takes to create something from start to finish. The embodied energy of a drop of water coming out of the tap includes the energies to collect, pump, heat and purify it.

Synergies allow an innovation in one area to create savings in another. Working together from the beginning with clear objectives, engineers, architects and the owner can develop synergies amongst systems.

• synergies- less stormwater flow out and less potable water flow in for significant savings in site development
• reduced life cycle costs in utilities bills
• and less embodied energy for all the water that is used