Architect's Primer on Renewable Energy

Now more than ever, architects are called to design high performance buildings. This guide provides a starting point for architects to meet their clients’ goals and contribute to a more sustainable distributed electric grid by planning and designing for renewable energy sources.  

While the impacts and related cost of climate change are increasing, the cost of renewable energy is decreasing. As an architect, you can bring efficient design and renewable technologies to meet your clients’ goals while contributing solutions to our wider societal need for a sustainable electric grid. The good news is incorporating renewable energy into your projects is easier and more affordable than ever. You don’t need to be a renewable energy expert – you only need enough information to get started.

The Architect’s Primer on Renewable Energy introduces architects to incorporating renewable energy into their projects, including:

• The types of renewable energy technology available at the building scale including solar photovoltaic, wind, biomass, and more
• How to determine which renewable energy solution fits your project best
• Strategies for projects where on-site renewable energy is not an option