The built environment is our primary source of greenhouse gas emissions and landfill volume - so the work of reinventing construction and design is one of the most important areas of opportunity in the sustainable economy. "Green" building is healthy, high performance, and environmentally advanced. It can also be beautiful, affordable, and a very wise long-term investment for a homeowner or business. With Bill Clinton keynoting this fall's GreenBuild in Chicago, and Home Depot in Westchester beginning to install solar energy systems, green is mainstreaming and diversifying - a sign of progress and danger. As the Hudson Valley's population continues to grow and land use policies remain fragmented, it is up to us all to make sure that the new fascination with green techniques and features really adds up to a built environment that is green enough to preserve precious natural capital. There are many systems of green building standards that can help.
Some key entry points for learning more and getting involved:
- The Green Building Pages at www.greenbuilding.com, is the motherlode of design, policy, product, consumer and community information. Must-read to get started, great links.
- U.S. Green Building Council www.usgbc.org - the best established industry network and creator of the LEED standard system to certify buildings and accredit professionals. USGBC's Upstate Chapter is in the process of creating a Hudson Valley branch - contact info@sustainhv.org to learn more.
- Northeast Sustainable Energy Association - www.nesea.org - a go-to regional organization for education, policy guidance, resources; a great annual conference, and fun educational events including the spring Tour de Sol and the fall Green Building Open House.
- Green Roofs for Healthy Cities pushes the envelope in a practical way at www.greenroofs.org
- Hudson Valley Green Building and Renewables Working Group greenbuildingandrenewables.blogspot.com an informal but highly skilled network of practitioners that is always willing to help with information requests and produces great conferences now and then.
Along with the design and materials choices of a structure itself, siting and land management practices are essential in order to call a development "green." Advanced builders now favor low-impact development strategies that preserve and restore native vegetation, protect water resources, and minimize the use of toxic substances through organic and natural cultivation. Some points of entry for learning more about sustainable site design, land management and landscaping:
To promote fairness and meaningful standard-setting, a growing number of certification and rating systems are being developed:
Cradle to Cradle a stringent system for life-cycle design. http://www.mbdc.com/c2c/
CRI -- Carpet and Rug Institute Green Label
http://www.carpet-rug.com/
Energy Star® the energy efficiency certifying program for over 50 appliances and technology products.
http://www.energystar.gov
Environmentally Preferable Products from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.epa.gov/epp/
FSC - Forest Stewardship Council – independent certificaton of environmentally friendly forest practices. www.fscus.org
GreenGuard certification of products that minimize air pollution. www.greenguard.org
GreenSeal (www.greenseal.org) sets standards for various industrial systems and services from vehicle fleets to adhesives.
Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (www.usgbc.org)
Living Building Challenge – an initiative grounded in natural systems analysis and a vision of true ecological sustainability, from the Cascadia Region Green Building Council.
http://www.cascadiagbc.org/resources/living-buildings
Scientific Certification Systems – third party certification of product compliance with EPA standards. http://www.scscertified.com/
WaterSense – EPA partnership highlighting water-efficient products and services. http://www.epa.gov/watersense/
Check back often for updates to this section.
