The article determines that the priority factor of energy efficiency at the design stage is the optimal functional and planning solution of educational buildings; established architectural and planning techniques aimed at improving the energy efficiency of higher education institutions, including compaction of educational institutions, clear zoning, implementation of compact architectural and planning solutions for educational buildings and structures, blocking in one or adjacent areas of several free economic cooperation with cooperative use of engineers increasing the number of storeys of buildings, the use of underground space and landscaping in the architectural and planning solution of buildings.