What is a Green Building?
A green building adds value to the community from an environmental and social perspective. The buildings are designed, constructed, and operated to boost environmental, economic, health, and productivity performance over that of conventional buildings.
Green Building Standards
The U.S. Green Building Council developed the LEED rating system. This system provides a national standard for green buildings. With the LEED system, false or exaggerated claims about a building’s green value are prevented.
Points are awarded to a built property in five categories:
- site sustainability
- water conservation
- energy efficiency
- selection of materials
- indoor environmental quality
The points add up to a final score that relates to one of four possible levels of certification.
Benefits of Green Building
It is a common belief that it is more expensive to "build green". However, green buildings can be constructed at comparable costs to conventional buildings. If the initial costs are increased by building green, they are generally recouped in a few years as a result of decreased operating costs.
Financial Benefits
- Competitive first costs
- Lower operating expenses due to energy and water efficiency
- Public and private incentives in many states (e.g. tax cuts, grants, preferred zoning)
Health and Productivity Benefits
- Higher employee productivity as a result of increased daylight, fresh air, and personal environment controls
- Less susceptible to power supply interruptions with an alternative energy source
Community Benefits
- Enhanced image leading to a high level of loyalty and respect
- Strengthened communities by using land appropriately in terms of scale and use
Environmental Benefits
- Local infrastructure capacity stretched due to decreased energy and material requirements
- Enhanced security as a result of lowered dependence on fossil fuels
