What are the 6 R's of sustainable design?
The 6 R’s of sustainable design are commonly defined as Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, and Recycle. In facility engineering, these principles translate into questioning current processes, avoiding unnecessary resource use, reducing energy and water demand, reusing materials or utilities, designing maintainable systems, and planning recycling or recovery pathways where practical.
What do sustainable design engineering services include?
Sustainable design engineering can include energy and water audits, LEED consulting, GHG emissions reduction planning, net-zero facility design, sustainable materials selection, HVAC and building envelope optimization, renewable energy integration, water reuse systems, and environmental permitting. For manufacturing and technical facilities, it also includes process-focused improvements that reduce waste and utility intensity.
Can sustainable engineering reduce operating costs?
Yes. Well-engineered sustainability strategies often reduce long-term operating costs by lowering electricity, fuel, water, wastewater, maintenance, and compliance-related expenses. The strongest results usually come from aligning sustainability measures with production needs, utility infrastructure, equipment life cycles, and capital planning rather than treating green design as a standalone add-on.
Does Hixson provide LEED certification support in Texas?
Yes. Hixson’s LEED Accredited Professionals support sustainable building design and LEED documentation for applicable projects. Services can include LEED consulting, project registration, energy and water audits, sustainable materials selection, indoor environmental quality strategies, daylighting analysis, and documentation support for LEED BD+C, ID+C, and EBOM pathways.
How does GHG emissions reduction engineering work?
GHG reduction engineering begins with identifying major emissions sources, including Scope 1 combustion or process emissions and Scope 2 purchased energy. Hixson then evaluates reduction options such as energy efficiency, process heat electrification, refrigerant management, utility optimization, and renewable energy integration before developing practical design solutions and implementation roadmaps.
What industries does Hixson support with sustainable design?
Hixson supports sustainable design for Food & Beverage, Pharma & Biotech, Science & Technology, Laboratory, and Workplace clients. This breadth is important because sustainability needs differ significantly across facility types, from water reuse and refrigeration efficiency in food plants to cleanroom HVAC optimization in cGMP and laboratory environments.
Can existing facilities be upgraded for net-zero goals?
Yes. Existing facilities can often be improved through energy recovery, HVAC optimization, building envelope upgrades, process heat electrification, refrigerant transition planning, onsite renewable integration, water reuse, and operational efficiency measures. Hixson supports both new construction and retrofit projects, helping clients sequence improvements around production continuity and capital budgets.
How early should sustainability be addressed in facility planning?
Sustainability should be addressed as early as possible, ideally during strategic planning, site selection, master planning, or conceptual design. Early evaluation makes it easier to influence building orientation, utility infrastructure, process layout, equipment selection, water systems, permitting strategy, and capital phasing before costly design decisions become difficult to change.