Resources

Report focuses on the materials-efficiency aspects of green buildings. Read More

The Big PictureIn 1996 the United States produced 136 million tons of building-related construction and demolition debris, according to U.S. EPA estimates. Year after year, debris piles up in landfills and burdens the wallets of builders and their clients. Yet most construction waste is wood, drywall, metals, concrete/dirt, and cardboard -- materials that can be reused or recycled if prepared properly. Read More

Indoor environmental strategies can increase the resale value of the building, and increase productivity of building occupants. Issues include indoor air quality, lighting quality, thermal comfort, acoustics, and use of low-emitting building materials. Read More

The Big PictureIndoor Environmental Quality strategies reduce potential liability for design team members (including building owners), increase the resale value of the building, and increase productivity of building occupants. In fact, case studies suggest that IEQ improvements can increase worker productivity by as much as 16%, resulting in rapid payback for IEQ capital investments. Read More

The Big PictureDevelopment and construction projects are often destructive to local ecology. For example, stormwater runoff from developed areas can impact water quality in receiving waters, hinder navigation and recreation, and disrupt aquatic life. Site clearing and earth moving during construction often results in significant erosion problems because adequate environmental protection strategies are not employed. In addition, development activities may encroach on productive agricultural land areas and open space. Read More

The Big PictureBecause large buildings consume enormous amounts of energy and other natural resources, there's growing interest in increasing efficiency in commercial facilities. By improving and streamlining day-to-day building operations, facility managers can create and maintain better work environments while netting big financial dividends for their company. Read More

New technologies are continually introduced to the marketplace and up-to-date scientific research influences building design strategies. Read More

As water use and allocation becomes a topic of growing concern around the world, companies will be required to pay greater scrutiny to the ways water is used within their operations. Read More

The Big PictureAccording to U.S. Government data, buildings account 60% of the raw materials used in the U.S., and 40% of non-industrial solid waste. Unlike some industries, in which there is a move toward dematerialization, the building industry will always need materials. So the question becomes: what are the best materials and products to use? To address this question one has to consider the overall life cycle of the materials and of the facility and building site as a whole. Read More

Increasingly, land developers are recognizing the long-term financial benefits of selecting sustainable sites for their projects. Read More