By almost every measure, sustainability costs less.

While this statement will seem outlandish to many, much of what makes a project sustainable is simply choosing to do so. If the many design decisions required to bring a building from paper to reality are seen through the lens of sustainabilty, then without adding a penny to the cost, the project will be sustainable. Site the building appropriately, use - rather than fight - the sun, use daylight and natural ventilation as a free energy input. Many of the basic - and most vital sustainable strategies are free for the taking.

As the European experience bares out, the challenge of building sustainably is more one of perceptions than reality. We are all used to doing things as we have done them in the past. To build sustainably we must relearn how to build.

The way to make sustainablity cost effective is to design it in from the start. If the building is super-insulated - thus maintaining the desired temperature - the building's heating and air conditioning systems can be downsized. If storm water is kept on site - rather than flushed away - then piping infrastructure is eliminated. These are but two of a host of savings that sustainability design mindset offers.

Once the project is occupied, the real savings begin as sustainability's hidden secret shows itself - substantial return on investment.

Which do you prefer to have in your pocket at the end of the day: a penny or a pound?