1. Key Findings From
the Working
Groups
June 4, 2014

2. Working Group 1
Buildings and their Sustainability Performance
Research Agenda:
Principle 1 of the ISCN-GULF Sustainable Campus Charter
To demonstrate respect for nature and society,
sustainability considerations should be an integral part
of planning, construction, renovation, and operation of
buildings on campus.
ISCN 2014 | Pushing Boundaries

3. WG1: Key Issues Discussed
! Context: Designing and operating sustainable buildings
! Key Issues:
! Incremental development of innovation in design
! The continuing challenge of “selling” innovative
sustainable design (the return on investment barrier)
! The different capital and operation models in
Universities that creating institutional specific
challenges.
! Pushing the boundaries…boundaries are different in
different institutions, consequently what is defined as
innovation will be different.
ISCN 2014 | Pushing Boundaries

4. WG 1: Key Findings
! Innovation Paradox: Organizations want to be known as
“innovative” - but may feel threatened by innovation
(Has it been done before and proven?) The process and
bureaucracy often “attack” innovation like it is a
“foreign body” .
! Sustainable design and operations is, for the most part,
not mainstreamed in organizational values. The case
needs to be made usually on short term return on
investment models. There are very few lifecycle
(cradle to grave) models used to justify investment.
! Organizations face similar challenges/barriers – and
would benefit from facilitated information exchange on
both macro (building level) issues and Micro (system
level) issues.
ISCN 2014 | Pushing Boundaries

5. WG 1: Goals for 2014/2015
! Populate the ISCN “best practice” sustainable building
case study knowledge data base using “peer reviewed”
projects.
! Explore the development of an information exchange
mechanism (wiki, blog) where members can post
experiences (successes and failure) to share with
others.
! Explore viability of running an online (conference call)
meeting of the working group between conferences to
establish relationships that facilitate sharing of
information.
ISCN 2014 | Pushing Boundaries