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Guiding Principles

Guiding Principles is a publication that outlines shared aims that ensure equity, sustainability, resiliency, and healthy living are integral to the design and construction process. This publication directly supports Design and Construction Excellence 2.0 (DCE 2.0), our program that, through partnerships with renowned design and construction professionals, delivers innovative and enduring public buildings and infrastructure.

The aims specified in Guiding Principles encourage design teams to think deeply and creatively in their quest to achieve superior buildings and infrastructure through transformative design. These aims are not meant to be prescriptive but to encourage the development of solutions, ranging from minimizing greenhouse gas emissions to design that engages groups who may feel left out, that enhance building performance. Though there are 20 principles and five aims for each, Guiding Principles is not complete. It is a growing and flexible collection of aspirations to support a respectful and efficient design and construction process.

We invite design professionals, our agency partners, and our professional staff to join us in a lively conversation over the coming months. We encourage you to help us more fully understand the meaning and application of these principles and how they can be improved and applied.

This is just the beginning. We encourage you to download the Guiding Principles, join the conversation and share your feedback with us.