What is Green Building?

What makes a green building green?

The same qualities that make it a smart solution for the built environment. Green buildings are smart because they benefit the bottom line, enhance health and productivity and preserve our natural resources.

A green building begins with good design. Good green design means reducing the harm the building does to the environment. That means, for example, siting the building carefully, using non-toxic, recycled or renewable materials, and reducing the waste stream from construction.

Good green design also aims for high building performance—getting the most out of the building’s systems and materials. That means, for example, reducing energy usage by relying more on natural light and ventilation. It also means integrating building systems to work together better. Instead of venting waste heat at one location and installing a water heater at another, for example, a green building might use the waste heat to make the water hot.

Good green design focuses on enhancing financial performance, too. Much of the energy and water supplied to conventional buildings is simply wasted. More efficient use of resources means lower operating costs. And a healthier indoor environment makes people more productive.

The benefits of green building are clear. Overall, green buildings cost less to operate, are healthier, more productive environments for people, and help to preserve our natural environment.

Examples are easy to find. Reducing energy use saves money. People flourish when their offices, homes and schools have more natural light and ventilation and fewer toxic substances. And our environment benefits when buildings emit fewer greenhouse gases and contribute less construction waste to landfills.

Green building is a new way to build, and there’s no recipe book. A truly successful green design is tailored to the building’s site, climate, uses and budget. Creating that kind of design requires a skilled team of design professionals, contractors, owners and users working together from the earliest stages of the project.

Most often, that team is benchmarking its progress with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building rating system. The LEED building rating system is a widely accepted method for evaluating just how green a building is.

If you’re ready to learn more about green building, here are some links to explore.

Pennsylvania Green Building Statistics

What is LEED®?

Funding for Green Building Projects

Tips and Resources for Green Building

Getting Started with a LEED®-certified Project

Green Building Alliance Publications

Related Organizations