Green Building

1. n. A structure that minimizes environmental impacts through energy efficiency, choice of materials and siting while promoting occupant comfort and well-being.
2. n. A professional field dedicated to the creation of environmentally sensitive structures.
3. v. The act of constructing environmentally sensitive structures.

A quality high-performance building can use less than 25% of the energy of comparable conventional buildings. This savings can be the largest possible reduction of your personal or professional environmental impact. Lower heating and cooling bills translate directly to less carbon in the atmosphere, reduced acid rain and decreased smog. In short, there is no downside to energy efficiency. It is good for the bottom line and for our environment.

However, not everyone uses the term "green" the same way. Some buildings promoted as "green" may be built using low VOC paints or recycled content but show very little or no improvement in energy efficiency compared to conventional construction. These projects have green features, which is a good step, but doesn't fully meet most regulatory or certifying organizations' definitions of a "green building." It is important to look very carefully at the performance of a building to really understand its "green" credentials. As the market for environmentally friendly housing expands, builders and sellers will need to be very careful as to how they represent their units to potential buyers. It is important that "green" become a well-defined term, not stay a nebulous one like "luxury."

Additional Resources
The Environmental Protection Agency's Guide to Green Building
Additional EPA Green Building Statistics (pdf)