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The following is an analysis about green building from the USGBC, the nation’s major certification for buildings:
“The built environment has a profound impact on our natural environment, economy, health and productivity.
In the United States, buildings account for:
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36% of total energy use/65% of electricity consumption
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30% of greenhouse gas emissions
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30% of raw materials use
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30% of waste output/136 million tons annually
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12% of potable water consumption
More industry statistics are available on our Research page.
Breakthroughs in building science, technology and operations are available to designers, builders and owners who want to build green and maximize both economic and environmental performance.
Environmental benefits:
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Enhance and protect ecosystems and biodiversity
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Improve air and water quality
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Reduce solid waste
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Conserve natural resources
Economic benefits:
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Reduce operating costs
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Enhance asset value and profits
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Improve employee productivity and satisfaction
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Optimize life-cycle economic performance
Health and community benefits:
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Improve air, thermal and acoustic environments
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Enhance occupant comfort and health
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Minimize strain on local infrastructure
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Contribute to overall quality of life
John Elkington argues if we examine a “triple bottom line” in accounting for our decision-making, we would expand the traditional company reporting framework to take into account not just financial outcomes but also environmental and social performance.
- Financial – Building green, if pursued early in the building design process, is not only cost competitive with conventional building approaches, but it also pays dividends in reduced utility, maintenance and replacement costs.
- Social – Improved indoor air quality, natural daylighting and user comfort combine to boost productivity and reduce absenteeism in green buildings. Local economies benefit as well because more emphasis is placed on purchasing locally produced goods and services in order to minimize embodied energy – the amount of energy needed to bring goods and services from greater distances.
- Environmental – Less site disturbance, more durable products that harmlessly decompose, and structures that actually produce their own usable energy through solar photovoltaics or other renewable sources are all examples of environmentally friendly design and construction . These and other environmentally benign features and approaches combine to reduce the amount of resource extraction from and adverse impacts upon the natural world. Green building means learning to build with nature.
*See these references for more information: www.rmi.org/images/other/GDS/D02-14_WhyBuildGreen.pdf www.moea.state.mn.us/greenbuilding/cost.cfm www.metropolismag.com/cda/story.php?artid=978
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