Why Go Green
The built environment has a profound impact on our natural environment, economy, health, and productivity.

In the United States alone, buildings account for:

  • 70% of electricity consumption,
  • 39% of energy use,
  • 39% of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions,
  • 40% of raw materials use,
  • 30% of waste output (136 million tons annually), and
  • 12% of potable water consumption.

Additionally, the structures in which we reside and work may be having an enormous, deleterious effect on our health and natural resources:

  • The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranks indoor air pollution among the Top Five environmental risks. Unhealthy air is found in up to 30% of new and renovated buildings.
  • The World Health Organization reports that indoor air pollution causes 14 times more deaths than outdoor air pollution (2.8 million lives).
  • Of hundreds of EPA-regulated chemicals, only ozone and sulfur dioxide are more prevalent outdoor than indoors.
  • Older toilets use 3.7-7 gallons per flush
  • Dishwashers use 8-14 gallons per cycle
  • Top-loading washers use 45 gallons/load
  • A dripping faucet waste 15-21 gallons per day
  • An estimated 7 million Americans are made sick annually by contaminated tap water; in some rare cases resulting in death.

Benefits of Green Building

Environmental benefits:
  • Improve air and water quality
  • Reduce solid waste 
  • Conserve natural resources 
  • Enhance and protect ecosystems and biodiversity

Economic benefits:
  • Reduce operating costs
  • Enhance asset value and profits 
  • Improve employee productivity and satisfaction 
  • Earn energy and environmental-based tax credits

Health and community benefits:
  • Improve air, thermal, and acoustic environments
  • Enhance occupant comfort and health 
  • Reduce employee absenteeism and sick days
  • Contribute to overall quality of life