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This case study describes the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) data center as a showcase of energy efficiency. Most of what NREL has done can be replicated by clients; however, two design approaches are climate-dependent: near-full reliance on outside air for cooling, and photovoltaic arrays for power.

This case study details the design and operations of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Research Support Facility data center and its contributions to energy efficiency.

An energy-efficient data center includes targets for its power usage effectiveness (<1.2) and energy resource efficiency (< 0.9). It should be designed with hot isle–cold isle separation, use free cooling (economizer) and evaporative cooling when available, minimize fan energy, and use the most energy-efficient equipment possible.

This video presentation highlights whole building design using a large office building located on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's campus in Golden, CO as an example.

This case study describes a successful zero energy school project in Utah.

This case study details the successful achievement of Passive House performance and zero energy at the Friends School of Portland.

The Energy Lab at Hawai’i Preparatory Academy is the third building worldwide and the first K–12 school facility to achieve “Living” certification through the Living Building Challenge (LBC). This case study details how the project succeeded in these goals.

The Hood River Middle School Music and Science Building includes music and science classroom, music practice rooms, teacher offices, a greenhouse, an adjacent recycling and storage building, and outdoor spaces including an amphitheater and garden. The building is integrated with the school's progressive sustainability and permaculture curriculum. Students can track and create experiments using data from the buildings net zero energy system and rainwater harvesting system, and learn about the building's innovative and integrated use of materials and systems.

On the night of May 4, 2007 an EF5 tornado 1.7 miles wide ravaged Greensburg, Kansas, destroying 95% of the city's homes and businesses. In the wake of the disaster, it became apparent that changes would need to occur to sustain the town for future generations. The Greensburg School District selected BNIM Architects to provide comprehensive design services for new school facilities.

In direct alignment with the town's Sustainable Comprehensive Master Plan, the USD decided to rebuild to LEED Platinum. This decision led the way for the city, which later mandated that all public buildings attain a Platinum rating. This K–12 facility combines the resources of three rural community school districts into a single facility, thereby right-sizing at a regional scale.

This 150,000 SF, LEED Gold, Net Zero facility was built on a 17.5 acre site in the city of Irving, Texas. Project cost was $29,610,423, and construction commenced on May 14, 2010. The project opened its doors for school on August 24, 2011. The building is structural steel frame with a brick and metal panel veneer. There are large expanses of windows for daylight harvesting. There are two stories consisting of classrooms, library, cafeteria, auditorium, and gymnasium. The structure fits on a very tight site with building orientation critical to energy conservation; native landscaping and pervious paving round out the exterior. The school uses extensive shading to minimize solar heat gain and incorporates wind turbines as a part of its onsite renewable energy generation portfolio.