High-Performance Building Procurement Toolkit

High-performance buildings are healthy, durable, long-lasting structures that operate with less energy, use fewer natural resources, and require less maintenance than traditional buildings, and they adapt easily to new uses for the future.

This Toolkit equips you with the knowledge and resources to procure the right professionals, navigate your critical project details, and ensure high-performance results.

This toolkit was created to support municipalities, developers, and building owners when they’re identifying companies and procuring services needed for their high-performance building or retrofit projects.

The toolkit specifically includes resources that municipal representatives can use when discussing new project proposals with developers. These resources aid to help these municipal representatives explore the sustainability, resiliency, and climate mitigation objectives of the developers’ proposals, particularly with regard to energy efficiency, embodied and operational carbon, indoor air quality, and grid interactivity. Just like with our municipal representatives, developers will also find similar support within for having robust engagement with their project teams.

1. Get started with your Overview document:
Download PDF

MUNICIPAL OVERVIEW

  • Why Build High-Performance?
  • Benefits of Building to High-Performance Standards
  • How High-Performance is Done
  • Essentials of a High-Performance Building
  • Going Beyond Energy
  • Achieving HP Capital Projects Within a Municipality’s Portfolio
  • Create a Project Roadmap
  • Permitting and Review of Private Development
Download PDF

DEVELOPER OVERVIEW

  • Why Build High-Performance?
  • Benefits of Building to High-Performance Standards
  • How High-Performance is Done
  • Essentials of a High-Performance Building
  • Going Beyond Energy

    2. Continue to the supporting documents:
    Download PDF

    SAMPLE LANGUAGE

    • Why is Procurement/Contract Language Important?
    • Sample Language for RFQ/RFPs
    • For Architects
    • For Engineers: Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing (MEP)
    • For Contractors
    • Owner’s Project Manager (OPM) or Project Representative
    • Certification Specialists
    Download PDF

    GREAT QUESTIONS

    • Questions for Municipalities to Ask Developers in the Permit and Review Process
    • Questions for Developers or Building Owners to Ask Design Teams About Their Approach to Design and Performance
    • Consider an Alternative Strategy to Traditional Interview Approach: A Design Simulation Session

    ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS

    Download PDF Version
    INCENTIVES FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE DESIGN

    Mass Save® offers valuable incentives for design and construction:

    • https://www.masssave.com/en/saving/business-rebates/new-buildings-and-major-renovations 

    • https://www.masssave.com/en/saving/residential-rebates/passive-house-incentives

    CARBON LEADERSHIP FORUM’S EMBODIED CARBON POLICY TOOLKITS

    COST STUDY AND LCC GUIDANCE
    SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
    BENCHMARKING AND PRECEDENTS OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE PROJECTS
    • CBECS Database of building performance: This is the traditional reference for project performance but has not been updated to include best-in-class and is weighted more towards code- compliant and less efficient buildings.
    OVERALL GENERAL RESOURCES ON ALL ASPECTS OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE PROJECTS
    FRAMEWORKS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE DESIGN THAT IS RATING SYSTEM AGNOSTIC
    • AIA Framework for Design Excellence: This is a clearly mapped out set of criteria defining sustainability in building by the AIA’s Committee on the Environment, and has been renamed “Design Excellence” because of AIA’s stance that sustainability should not be considered separate, but just a part of best practices.

    • The Natural Step: Natural step has a 4 part framework that is great to use at the very beginning of a project instead of LEED or other rating systems to begin to think about sustainability priorities. This also describes the backcasting process, which is a methodology for goal setting.

    PROJECT DELIVERY METHODOLOGY: REDESIGNING FOR NET ZERO
    • These workshop instructions are for any organization, owner, developer or design/construction firm, to adjust their existing project delivery process and align it to achieve net zero buildings.
    MATERIALS AND STRATEGIES FOR DECARBONIZATION – EMBODIED CARBON
      RATING AND CERTIFICATION SYSTEMS
      GREEN LEASE INFORMATION FOR LANDLORDS AND TENANTS

      The High-Performance Building Procurement Toolkit was developed by Built Environment Plus (BE+) in partnership with the Sustainable Performance Institute (SPI). It was made possible by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC).

      Massachusetts Clean Energy Center

      Top Photos: Boston Arts Academy via Wilson Butler Architects, Concord Riverwalk via Union Studio Architecture, Finch Cambridge by Robert Umenhofer

      Report Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash