Green building refers to designing, constructing, and renovating buildings in a way that prioritizes human and environmental health. It begins with an integrated design process where architects, engineers, and owners collaborate to optimize efficiency, functionality, and minimize negative impacts. Elements of green building include site selection, energy efficiency, water conservation, sustainable materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. Green building has grown significantly in recent years and provides economic and environmental benefits by reducing energy and water usage and waste.

1. Green Building Basics
Green Building refers to a comprehensive approach to designing, constructing and
renovating buildings that prioritizes human and environmental health, while also
taking into account aesthetics, comfort, economics, and performance on multiple
levels.
Process
Green building begins with an Integrated Design Process. Unlike a conventional
design process, where architects, engineers, designers, builders, and owners fulfill
their roles in isolation from one another, Integrated Design emphasizes a team
approach that involves joint performance goal setting, collaboration, and creative
"outside the box" solutions. This approach optimizes the potential for designs that
reduce costs, maximize efficiency, comfort, and functionality and minimize the
negative impacts of construction on public health and the environment.
Elements of Green Building
• Green Building is essentially about recognizing and better understanding the
relationship building design has with the environment, and building
occupants; and then ensuring that design maximizes human and
environmental health. Though the green building knowledge base is vast,
knowing a little about the following five topics will give you a decent
understanding of green building.
• Site Selection - a building's orientation to the sun, wind, and weather can
significantly alter building energy use. Treating building sites with care can
help improve or restore stressed eco-systems, improve drainage and quality of
life for building occupants.
• Energy Efficiency - The construction and operation of buildings accounts for
37% of all energy use and 68% of all electricity demand in the United States. By
properly insulating and sealing homes, installing energy efficient heating,
cooling, hot water systems, and appliances, and taking advantage of renewable
energy sources like solar, wind, and geothermal we can dramatically reduce the
buildings' impact on the environment including reducing buildings'
contribution to global warming.
• Water Conservation - Over 12% of our fresh water supply is consumed in
buildings. By installing water saving faucets, toilets, and showerheads and by
capturing and using rainwater and "grey" water from our roofs and tubs, we can
significantly reduce our demand for fresh water.
• Materials and Resources - Construction, both new and renovation, consumes
large quantities of materials. Green building carefully considers the

2. environmental impact of building materials. What is the product made of?
Does it contain harmful or toxic chemicals? Does the product contain recycled
content or can it be easily recycled? Can the product be harvested at a
sustainable rate? These are some of the critical questions green builders must
ask before choosing building materials.
• Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) - Students perform better, workers are
more productive, and occupants are generally happier and healthier in
buildings with superior indoor environmental quality (IEQ). IEQ primarily
considers daylight, air quality, and views (to the outside).
Economic Impact of Green Building
A recent research study estimated the value of the U.S. green building materials
market at $21.1 billion in 2005, and projected that figure would rise to $21.9 billion in
2006 and to $27.9 billion by 2011.
The United States Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design) rating system reported over 80 million square feet of
construction projects seeking LEED certification in 2002. By 2006 that figure had
jumped to 642 million square feet.
Environmental Impact of Conventional Building
• The construction and operation of buildings accounts for 37% of all energy use
and 68% of all electricity demand in the United States.
• Over 12% of our fresh water supply is consumed in buildings.
• Over 65% of solid waste generated in the United States originates in buildings.
• Global warming, a problem long tied to automobiles, is increasingly linked to
building operation. In fact, buildings are linked to an estimated 30-50% of green
house gas emissions.
Learn more at www.sustainable-performance.org.