What must occur to ensure energy-efficient design is carried through to efficient performance?

To ensure that energy-efficient design translates into efficient performance, staff training is crucial. This involves educating and equipping the individuals responsible for operating and maintaining the systems and equipment within the building. Through effective training, staff members can understand the design intent, become familiar with the energy-efficient systems installed, and learn best practices for their operation. This knowledge helps to optimize performance by ensuring that the building's systems function as intended, ultimately leading to lower energy consumption and improved efficiency over the long term.

In contrast, while cost management, regulatory approval, and building permits are important aspects of the construction and design process, they do not directly ensure that the energy-efficient strategies developed during the design phase are effectively implemented and maintained in daily operations. Cost management focuses on meeting budget constraints, regulatory approvals ensure compliance with laws and codes, and building permits verify that construction is legal. However, none of these directly influence how well the staff conduct their roles concerning the energy systems.