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The article suggests sustainable design approaches in school construction in the United States with goals of reducing construction costs. Sustainable design is ideal for building owners who view school construction as a long-term investment and may extend the useful life of a typical school building.

The article talks about the benefits of passive security design in schools. Passive security tactics, such as the use of open floor plans and trained faculty members, can help reduce theft, drugs and bullying in schools. The disadvantages of active security systems and several methods designers can use to create an environment allowing for natural surveillance are offered.

The article provides tips on how to review high-performance school building design. Sustainability and building high-performance should be discussed at the onset of the project, as well as alternative funding sources. Familiarity with green building rating systems is important. Hidden costs, which are usually administrative costs, must be understood and evaluated.

The article reports on the emergence of health-protecting, high-performance, sustainable school buildings which is making changes in traditional planning, design and construction. Utilities are the second-largest budget item after personnel-related costs. Energy costs must be managed by efficient systems and operations. School buildings must produce a realistic response to the energy market.