Produced in partnership with the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC), this publication provides instruction for the creation of high performance, environmentally responsible, energy-efficient buildings.

The High Performance Building Guidelines also indicate how these practices can work within the City of New York's existing policies for capital project administration and facility management, and it identifies opportunities to improve the DDC’s business practices, which will in turn yield the highest overall return for the City’s capital investments.

High performance buildings maximize operational energy savings; improve comfort, health, and safety of occupants and visitors; and limit detrimental effects on the environment. These guidelines, developed with the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC), provide instruction in the methodologies that produce high performance buildings.

In preparing these guidelines, DDC and the Design Trust sought significant input from the very technical personnel who will implement the recommendations on future projects. More than 20 DDC staff members researched, wrote, and illustrated much of the material under the supervising expertise of outside consultants. The effort also involved significant contributions from other New York City agencies.