First, take care of any potential toxins on the site which are likely to be any or all of the following: asbestos; lead; mold; heating oil; other soil contamination, radon in certain parts of the country, along with any hazardous materials that may have been stored on site over the years.

Second, pull together a green design/build team who ideally have worked together in the past on a similar project. Start your cost estimating early in Design Development, particularly with your HVAC engineering.

Third, don't squeeze the critical path trades too hard...it will certainly lead to time delays and greater conflict. Accept the fact that between price, time and quality, only two out of three are possible, especially for a green building.

Fourth, invest in the best insulation system such as Biobased soy-based expanding foam insulation, or Icynene or blown-in cellulose.

Fifth, if you will be an owner/occupant of the building for at least 10 years and you need a new roof, install a green/garden roof.

Sixth, get your project LEED Certified but make sure to use the LEED template as a high-performance design guide. Look into the USGBC archives for any similar projects to yours and read up on Lessons Learned.