The Growing Presence of GREEN Building
In recent years, consideration for the environmental impact a building has on its surroundings and occupants, both initially AND over the life cycle of the building has brought about a growing trend toward “building GREENâ€.
What Is It?
Simply put, it is a combination of design and construction practices that notably reduce, and in some cases eliminate certain perceived negative impacts a building may have on the environment and occupants. You may have heard it referred to as Sustainable Design.
For a building to meet the parameters of sustainable design, its plan and construction must include built-in design features and materials that enhance
- Energy efficiency AND renewable energy
- Safeguard water and water efficiency
- Conservation of materials and resources
- Indoor environmental quality
The stated goal for such “GREEN†building/sustainable design is a high-performance building that does more than ‘house’ a business… it actually improves the local and global community.
There are several organizations dedicated to the ongoing development of this growing segment of the building industry. Three of the primary national organizations/programs are
- CRRC (Cool Roof Rating Council)
- Energy Star® (US Environmental Protection Agency)
- LEEDâ„¢ (US Green Building Council)
Streicher Construction and VP Buildings are active participants in the CRRC and the USGBC, have an ever-growing number of quality, Energy Star® certified products, and can contribute greatly toward your next project’s sustainable design and LEED certification.