Current escalating energy prices place more emphasis on our need to conserve energy and provide buildings that are constructed of sustainable materials. The construction and operation of U.S. buildings use 40% of the country’s energy, 16% of its fresh water and three billion tons of raw materials per year, which is 40% of total global use.

The most prevalent measurement standard for “Green” buildings is the USGBC’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Program. LEED is a design tool and guide for “Green” construction, it establishes standards that are verified through a third party rating system.

The guide focuses on 5 major areas of environmental concern, as follows:

• Site Development
• Water Efficiency
• Energy Efficiency
• Material Selection
• Indoor Environmental Air Quality

Environmental concerns are not limited to the above, but these areas address the most significant elements. Another purely energy-related rating system is “Energy Star.”

Green building construction means designing a building, including its placement on the site, to reduce resource consumption, augment resource supply and enhance the quality of life. For example, simply facing the long side of a building within 15 degrees of true south (and using proper shading to block summer, but not winter sun) can save up to 40% of the energy compared to the same building turned 90 degrees.

A green design should not be an afterthought in the design process. The program should, at its outset, include a commitment to sustainability. The design process for green requires greater interaction among design team members to accomplish the green objectives at little or no additional cost.

At Greenbuild 2007, President Clinton addressed the assembly saying, “We must prove to ourselves that Green does not cost more and then prove it to the rest of the world.”

The economic benefits of green have been clearly established. Sometimes the saving and ROI (Return on Investment) are immediate; in other cases it may be necessary to perform a life-cycle cost analysis to demonstrate the benefits. In either case, given the world’s limited resources and expanding populations, we cannot ignore sustainability.

For more information on Green construction, visit the USGBC website or the Energy Star website.