Green Building & Sustainability

Buildings have a profound impact upon our environment since they collectively account for about one-third of all energy, water and materials consumption while generating similar proportions of pollution. For the owner and/or occupants, they have a profound impact upon health, performance and learning, so much so that the Surgeon General classifies indoor air quality as one of the top health concerns. The solution? Build green and sustainable.

What is green and sustainable building?
In a nutshell, it means building more intelligently for the environmental, economic and health benefits of the owner/occupant, community and future generations. It means leaving a smaller environmental footprint while increasing the quality of life for everybody, to include enhancing and protecting ecosystems and biodiversity.

For more information on green building and sustainability, go to the US Green Building Council (USGBC) at www.usgbc.org or Global Green at www.globalgreen.org.

How is this achieved?
The choice to build green and sustainable begins with the building design and siting phase, continuing through to the materials and construction, on to the operation, maintenance, and even final landscaping. Provide for sustainable site planning, water safeguarding and efficiency, energy efficiency and/or renewable energy options, conservation of materials and resources. Plan for indoor air quality to enhance occupant comfort, health and safety. Building green and sustainable will not only create an environmentally sound, personally satisfying, resource-efficient place to live, but also return economic gains in increased asset valuations, cost savings and improved personal productivity.

For more information on green building and sustainability, go to the US Green Building Council (USGBC) at www.usgbc.org or Global Green at www.globalgreen.org.

Log homes are green and sustainable.
According to the Log Homes Council (LHC), log homes are environmentally aware and sustainable structures. Most are 'greener' by comparison to conventional housing since they save energy and reduce environmental impacts through the use of renewable resources. Timber is the only renewable construction material on earth, requiring less energy to produce than any substitute building product available. Log components, in particular, consume less energy and labor between harvest and placement on the housing site, while log walls provide 'surface as finish', saving material and labor costs since other building material layers are not required.

For more information on log homes, green building and sustainability, go to www.nahb.org