Creating high-performance buildings requires a balance of art and science. Design decisions can no longer be guided by aesthetics and intuition alone; they require careful study to achieve desired outcomes. Using recent work in the Northeast, this session will show how data can be used to inform design decisions. Case studies will cover how data from both predictive analysis as well as post-occupancy evaluation was used to answer the following questions:

• Can we provide Harvard-recommended CO2 levels without increasing energy?
• How can sunshades be optimized to reduce system sizing and glare?
• What is the best affordable wall assembly for this climate?
• How does high-performance compare to code compliance in terms of cost?
• To what degree can we replace typical civil infrastructure with biosystems?