Business a Case for Green Design
In the past, one obstacle to sustainable design has been cost. That's no longer the case, however, sustainable design does require the facility executive to create a business case to justify an approach that is very different from the traditional approach.

The True Costs of Building Green
Discusses recent data indicating that green buildings can cost from less than 1 to 6.5 per cent more to build, depending on the quantity and sophistication of sustainability features included. Benefits to building operations and occupant productivity are presented as more than offsetting the initial cost.

Green School Economics
Despite the widespread belief that green buildings are more expensive than conventional ones, a report of 30 green schools (LEED certified or equivalent) "demonstrates that green schools cost less than 2 percent more than conventional schools... but provide financial benefits that are 20 times as large [as that difference]."

Cost Analysis of LEED for K-12 Schools
Advises on cost controls for designers of high performance "green" schools.

A Client's Guide to Sustainable Schools: A Draft for Development (pdf)
benefits of sustainable design, working with design professionals, sustainable design principles

The Costs and Financial Benefits of Green Buildings (pdf)
Presents a detailed analysis of costs and financial benefits of environmentally sensitive building design and occupancy practices. The study concludes that an upfront investment of about two percent of construction costs typically yields life cycle savings of over ten times the initial investment. Includes annotated references.

Greening America’s Schools, Costs and Benefits (pdf)
This study demonstrates the financial, environmental, and other benefits of using environmental friendly technologies in schools.

Energy Smart Building Choices: How School Administrators and Board Members are Improving Learning and Saving Money (pdf)
This document discusses how school administrators and board members are making smart energy choices to help schools, the community, and the environment.

Financing EnergySmart Schools
This U.S. DOE site offers information on state governments, utilities, and foundations that offer financing programs specifically designed for high-performance construction.

NRDC Building Green - Building Your Business Case
Understand the business rewards of sustainable construction, and give you what you need to make the case for building green: to your CEO, your investors, your prospective tenants. How building green can give you an edge on the competition, boost your profits, cut operating and maintenance costs and enhance your public image -- all for little or no extra cost.