| Did You Know | According to the EPA, in the U.S buildings accounted for: - 12% of potable water use
- 39% of primary energy use
- 70% of electricity consumption
- 40% of raw materials extraction
- 38% of carbon dioxide emissions (a greenhouse gas)
- 60% of total non-industrial waste generation
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High Performance Buildings and Green Buildings are getting a lot of attention these days, and with good reason – it has been estimated that by altering our building practices, we can make buildings that: - Use 30 to 50 times less energy
- Emit 35 percent less carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas)
- Consume 40 percent less water
- Produce 70 percent less solid waste
That’s pretty impressive! But just what is meant by the terms “High Performance” and “Green” Buildings? And how can you tell if a building is “green”?
Green building is an approach to the design, construction and operation of buildings that aims to reduce or eliminate the negative environmental impacts of buildings while promoting occupant health and productivity. “Green” building is a general term referring to all aspects of the building and its relationship to the environment, whereas “high performance” refers to how efficiently the building uses energy and resources. Considering the building's orientation to the sun and relying on natural sunlight for light and passive heating, using recycled construction materials, and designing a vegetated “green roof” are all examples of various green building practices.
Perhaps the most important element of green buildings is that designers and engineers take a whole-building approach, known as integrated design. During the integrated design process, people from different specialties (general architecture, HVAC, lighting and electrical, interior design, landscape design, etc.) communicate from the very beginning, identifying synergistic methods to improve the building design while reducing impacts.
To ensure the overall sustainability of the completed building, most green building programs address the following practices:
- Environmentally responsible site practices and stormwater management
- Energy conservation and use of renewable energy resources
- Water conservation and reuse
- Recycled/sustainable materials use and waste minimization
- Healthy indoor environmental quality
Most green building ratings systems are point-based, with checklists for each of the major areas listed above. There are usually some pre-requisites in each category (e.g., all buildings must control erosion and sediment during the construction process). After that, points are awarded for implementing certain green features. After meeting the minimum number of points for certification, additional points will earn the project a higher green building rating.
There are many different green building rating systems out there, but the one that is encountered most frequently is known as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) from the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED has four certification levels based upon the number of points accumulated: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. There are many variations of the LEED rating system to address different types of buildings (e.g., New Construction (LEED-NC), Existing Buildings (LEED-EB), Core and Shell (LEED-CS), LEED for Homes, etc.). Another green building rating system that is gaining prominence in the U.S. is known as Green Globes. Green Globes consists of web-based checklists that designers/builders navigate through, adding up points along the way. Buildings can achieve a one, two, three or four globe rating. For more information: |
