Approved by the Infrastructure and Research Policy Committee on March 13, 2026
Approved by the Public Policy and Practice Committee on June 3, 2026
Adopted by the Board of Direction on July 21, 2026
Policy
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) supports public and private efforts to promote and expand the development of technologies for high-performance buildings that provide environmental, economic, and societal well-being, and contribute to sustainability and resiliency.
Issue
High-performance buildings have been defined as those that integrate and optimize all major high-performance attributes on a life-cycle basis including energy conservation, safety, security, durability, accessibility, benefit-cost ratios, productivity, sustainability, resiliency, functionality, and operational considerations.
From the materials produced to construct and maintain buildings and the energy used to operate them, buildings consume vast amounts of resources over their lifetimes. High-performance buildings address human, environmental, economic, and total societal impacts. They are the result of the application of state-of-the-art planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and reuse/decommissioning principles - a paradigm change for the built environment.
Rationale
Engineers are responsible for planning, designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining the natural and built environment. Additionally, engineers understand the significant benefits of high-performance buildings to society. In their role, ASCE members contribute to sustainable outcomes through the design of high-performance buildings and facilities; use of materials that contribute to sustainability; appropriate adaptive use and/or reuse of facilities. Designing for resilience to minimizes life-cycle costs and premature obsolescence.
This policy has worldwide application
ASCE Policy Statement 528
First Approved in 2008