STRUCTURAL DESIGN AND COST ANALYSIS OF A LEED-CERTIFIED BUILDING

Sustainable building design is paving the road for future building designs. In the research presented, a group of diverse civil engineering undergraduates designed a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified building and computed its cost analysis. A comparison between the cost of a conventional building versus a LEED certified building is presented to provide a realistic view of the cost of environmentally friendly buildings. The cost analysis compares between traditional materials, and typical building methods versus recycled materials, and new sustainable designs. Among these topics the group also discusses the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification standards and the green features that are added to the conventional building to make it an environmentally friendly building. In the research, it is illustrated that a green building is more costly in the present time but can pay itself off in the future as it consists of several cost saving features. Although sustainable building design requires detailed planning, and costly material, it is beneficial for the environment and society.