Lance concludes that “ Design isn’t separate from sustainability—it’s the key to it.” But you would have a hard time convincing most designers of this. Lance also mentions education as being a problem. He worries about continuing education, finding that most architects are clueless about the cost of building green; I worry about the schools, many of which are like the one I teach in, where sustainable design is an optional course taken by a third of the third year students, when it should be compulsory for everyone and baked into the program from year one.
Source: “Design isn’t separate from sustainability—it’s the key to it” : TreeHugger
[Amenities, such as outdoor space and flexible floor plans, are key selling points that attract companies to renovated and restored buildings.]