Green Building: No It's Not the Color of Your Siding

On August 28, U.S. Green Building Council president and CEO Rick Fedrizzi announced that green building was the "cornerstone" of the William J. Clinton Foundation's effort to reducing carbon dioxide emissions. While the polluting effects of emissions from motor vehicles and factories might be obvious to the naked eye, it's hard to imagine that the materials we use to construct buildings, and their energy use can have an effect on the environment, but the initiative spearheaded by the former president's nonprofit group echos those being taken across the country. People are concerned about this issue.

And rightly so. By using green building techniques effectively, construction and building managers can reduce the amount of energy and water used by a facility and improve health by improving the interior air quality. Green building can also have a very positive effect on an area's population, mainly leading to a lower mortality rate, as Green building can reduce problems like the Urban Heat Island, a situation that arises when an area in a city is significantly hotter than other parts of the city, and that adds to higher mortality rates in that area.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency buildings account for 39% of total energy usage, 68% of total energy consumption, and 38% of carbon dioxide emissions in this country. By building green we can help eliminate these problems by increasing air and water quality, as well as aiding in the ever-present drive to reduce energy use as well as lessen our dependence on foreign oil.

If aiding the environment is not enough of a reason to build green, according to the EPA, this method of construction is also helpful in fattening pockets. Green building lessens energy usage, which helps cut down on building maintenance costs for the landlord, ensuring a bigger profit.