Online Tools: EDR Charette
EDR Charette is an online tool that allows you to quickly investigate the energy impacts of various design scenarios on a typical building, and then review the analysis graphically in an easy to understand web-based format. It enables you to quickly "draw" building components with drop down menus, and estimate how different design choices will affect energy use, energy costs, and the surrounding environment...

Software: eVALUator
eVALUator is an easy-to-use Windows™-based program that calculates the lifecycle benefits of investments that improve building design. It analyzes the financial benefits from buildings that reduce energy cost, raise employee productivity, and enhance tenant satisfaction...

e-News for Designers: e-News #53: Life-Cycle Cost Analysis: Making Smart Decisions About Capital Improvements
A classic challenge for building owners is whether and how much capital to invest in energy-saving equipment or systems in order to reap long-term savings. Read the February issue of e-News from Energy Design Resources to learn about how lifecycle cost analysis can help building owners, facilities managers and design teams make sound decisions about capital investments in new construction or building renovations or retrofits...

The Newsletter: Natural ROI
When Standard Abrasives decided to move their entire San Fernando Valley operation to a new facility in Simi Valley, the owners had major concerns about employee retention. The company regards each employee as a critical asset in sustaining long-term profitability and economic success...

e-News for Designers: e-News #8: Energy Performance Makes Good Business Sense for Building Owners
Business and institutions in the U.S. can save $130 billion by 2010 if they take advantage of currently available, low-cost, energy-efficiency opportunities. Most businesses use energy inefficiently, which results in higher energy bills than necessary...

e-News for Designers: e-News #5: Take the LEED in Your Industry with Sustainable Design
Architects and building designers can now stamp their projects with a green building "seal of approval" available through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design building rating system (known as LEED TM). This voluntary, consensus-based rating system for commercial buildings was developed by the U...

e-News for Designers: e-News #7: Design Communities with Built-in Energy Efficiency.
Building energy efficiency and sustainability into one building at a time is a great idea, but cities across the country are recognizing the collective benefits of populating their communities with sustainable buildings. Cities such as Austin, Denver, Tucson, Seattle, and New York City have raised the bar, community-wide, above basic minimums on sustainability issues...