Green Building takes into account the way we choose
to live in a more comfortable, healthy and energy efficient space.
Techniques in Green Building promote cost savings in the building
process, reducing long-term operation costs, greater health benefits,
environmental sustainability and other economic factors.
By designing smaller, more compact houses and
evaluating the space we actually use on a day-to-day basis can save a
substantial amount of materials and reduce construction waste in the
building process. A smaller more efficiently built house can also
improve energy performance by downsizing mechanical equipment, reducing
heating and cooling costs and using fewer natural resources.
Reducing energy use is the single most economic
benefit of Green Building. Minimizing energy consumption is a priority
in nearly all Green Building. Green Buildings commonly use less than
half as much energy as their conventional counterparts, and some Green
Buildings consume less than a quarter as much energy.
A very important, yet often overlooked feature of
Green Building is durability. Well designed and properly built Green
Buildings will not experience moisture problems because sound
building-science principles are incorporated into the design and
construction. Durable buildings cost less to operate because repairs
and replacement of failed components are less common. Although durable
building materials and equipment may cost more up front, their
life-cycle costs are often lower than conventional products because
they last longer and require fewer repairs.
Improved health and enhanced comfort go hand-in-hand
with Green Building. By virtue of the materials used, moisture-control
detailing, pollution and contamination-rejection strategies, and
ventilation systems, Green Buildings are healthier buildings. Americans
spend 85-95% of their time indoors, so the quality of the indoor
environment is paramount. A well-insulated and tight building envelope
not only reduces energy consumption but also increases comfort.
Green Buildings use less energy and generates less
carbon dioxide through their operation, lessening the release of other
green house gases (such as HCFC and HFC refrigerants and foam
insulation blowing agents), which contributes less to global warming.
It is very important to recognize that climate change impacts are
global in nature. What we do in one part of the U.S. affects the
world's climate and anything we can do to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions results in global benefits.
Other economic benefits include better resale values,
reducing demands on municipal services and positive public image. Green
Building increases environmental awareness by creating a learning
laboratory for all who use them. Children who grow up with green
features around them will consider this the norm, nurturing a more
wholesome relationship with the environment among populations that are
increasingly isolated from these techniques.