Green Building Earth Day April 22, 2007 Environmental Awareness Project Westfield State College For More Information Visit… Globalgreen.org Buildingreen.com usgbc.org What You Can Do... Although building a certifiable green structure can be a large project, there are some small things that you can do around your house to make the place you call home a bit greener. Here are some simple and inexpensive tips that will save energy and money in the long run, and of course help the environment. Replacing 3 incandescent light bulbs with florescent bulbs will eliminate 300lbs. of CO2 per year and save energy. Using ceiling fans reduces the need for air conditioning and costs 1/10 the price. Installing low-flow toilets and shower heads use 50-80% less water and can save up to 22,000 gallons of water per year. 1 What Is It? Green building consists of design and construction practices that minimize the negative impacts buildings have on the environment. Green building addresses sustainable site planning, water and energy efficiency, conservation of materials and resources, and air quality. 4 The use of recycled materials and renewable energy is a key factor in green building or home. Also, using designs that harness “free” resources, like light and rainwater can be used in place of traditional heating and cooling systems. Air flow in the designs of structures can also have a great impact on resource use. The U.S. Green Building Council has a rating system called LEED that sets the benchmark for green building performance and awards building projects that meet green standards. 2 Although green building is catching on, only 2% of homes built in 2005 were built green. 5 A Green Example The Hearst Tower is New York City’s first green building to be certified gold by LEED. (Background) 3 It was constructed with 20% less steel than a conventional framed building and 90% of that steel is made of recycled materials. All of the floors and ceilings are made of recycled content. The glass fronts let light in and sensors control the lighting to reduce energy use. The roof collects rainwater to reduce the amount of water drained into New York’s sewage system. This water is stored in the basement and then used in the building’s three-story water feature that helps cool and humidify the lobby. 3 Sources 1. Globalgreen.org 2. usgbc.org 3. hearstcorp.com 4. southface.org 5. E The Environmental Magazine, vol. 18 no pg Business Week Online, 3/23/07, pg 13 So What's Out There? There are many different products on the market that are certified for green construction use. There are recycled countertops, wood, and steel. There are also certain paints that contain no or low amounts of VOC’s, which reduce air quality. Many appliances on the market now are energy star certified and use less energy and water than traditional appliances. Green building supply centers are popping up across the country and in Chicago a whole mall is opening that includes a sustainable furniture store, green building supply company, and environmentally friendly clothing and printing stores. The best part? The whole mall will be built to be LEED certified. 6 The chart to the right shows the many steps of building green and how the process can become less and less green as it is developed and handed off. The diagram below shows how using the natural features of the land, you can design a structure that will work with the environment around you and help conserve energy and resources. Lauren Miles Inhabitat.com Scotland.gov.uk