Overview Introduction:

Overview Introduction:

Every project, no matter how big or small, begins with an idea or concept and then goes through a process of deciding the end result for that project. All too often during the process of designing or remodeling a residential or small commercial building there can be little thought devoted to green/sustainable products and technologies.

Substantial rebates and tax incentives are available to make buildings more energy efficient. These incentives also include clean energy/solar systems, efficient appliances, and electric vehicles. In order to take all these components into account for your project it can be helpful to have meetings with others about your project. Architectural and engineering professionals call these project focused meetings "Design Charrettes".

Design charrettes can be beneficial for small projects as well as large ones.

If you search for the term ‘design charrette’ you will get a variety of results and definitions that range from suggesting that a large group of people is required to using a smaller ‘integrated design team’ that consists of just a few professionals with diverse backgrounds and skills. The reality is that there are many definitions of design charrettes and how to implement them.

The challenge becomes that smaller projects, such as residential homes or small commercial buildings, can benefit just as much from properly run design charrettes as do large scale projects, but there is not a lot of help or guidance available for them. To have a successful design charrette for a small project, you need to have a system that covers the multiple considerations involved in a small project.

The key for organizing smaller project design charrettes is the DYO* Green Building Decision Kit. This kit covers 24 primary topics with several subtopics or units for each primary topic. You will find an overview of each primary topic with references to the subtopics/units within the DesignCharrette.com website.

Design charrettes can produce extremely beneficial results if they are well organized and properly facilitated. They can also become a waste of time and resources if they are disorganized and allowed to devolve into a chaotic mess. So, how do you manage a design charrette so that it produces a positive and beneficial outcome?’
We think that you will find that the DYO Green Building Decision Kit proves to be quite helpful in organizing and producing a successful design charrette for your residential or small commercial project**.

*DYO: Do Your Own
**Small commercial project: A small commercial project that can benefit from the DYO Green Building Decision Kit should have residential heating and cooling systems plus be constructed with building materials similar to what is used to build residential structures. Residential homes or small business buildings are perfect projects to manage using the DYO Green Building Decision Kit. The DYO Green Building Decision Kit does not cover commercial heating and cooling equipment such as rooftop units, boilers, and chillers or commercial building materials such as prestressed concrete or metal girder construction.