Green Building
Constructing
and operating buildings requires energy, water, and materials and creates
significant amounts of waste. Where and how they are built affects the
ecosystems around us in countless ways. And the buildings themselves create
new indoor environments that present new environmental problems and challenges.
As the environmental
impact of buildings becomes more apparent, a new field called green
building is arising to reduce that impact at the source. Green
or sustainable building is the practice of creating healthier and more
resource-efficient models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance,
and demolition. This section of the compliance center will provide links
to green building activities and related documents covering various topics,
such as:
-
Energy:
Designing and operating buildings to use energy efficiently and to
use renewable sources of energy, including solar, wind, and biomass.
-
Water:
Designing and operating buildings to use water efficiently.
-
Materials:
Using building materials that, in comparison to competing
brands, have a reduced effect on the environment throughout their
life cycle (e.g. recycled content, low toxicity, energy efficiency,
biodegradability, and/or durability).
-
Waste:
Reducing the waste from construction, remodeling, and demolition.
- Indoor
Environment:
Designing and operating buildings that are healthy for their occupants.
Please note
that unlike various local, state and federal regulations covered elsewhere
on CICA that Green Building practices are voluntary.
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