Build Green

Why do it now?

Green building offers us the chance to benefit everyone: residents, owners, neighbors, local governments, regional businesses, and the local and global environment. You can make these opportunities and benefits a reality even within the budget limitations of an affordable housing project. The average additional cost of building green is approximately two percent higher than that of traditional building and is falling. Many tools are in place to support these market changes, and new policies, financial instruments, and regulatory amendments will soon make building green a mainstream practice in affordable housing. The time to build green is now.

A True Green Home

A true green home is built with environmentally friendly materials and uses energy and water more efficiently than traditionally built structures through better site planning, design, construction, material selection, operation, and maintenance. Green built homes have a positive impact on human health by reducing the level of Indoor Air Pollutants and on the environment by reducing the consumption of natural resources and the Outdoor Air Pollution resulting from energy consumption.

US EPA ranks indoor air pollution among top five environmental risks. Unhealthy air is found in up to 30% of new and renovated buildings.

What is Green?

Green is a combination of three main factors: Energy Efficiency, Sustainability, & Healthiness.

Energy Efficiency

Will the construction method and materials used, produce the most energy efficient structure possible?

Sustainability

Can we continue to use the resource without depleting it – is the resource renewable? Also, will it last, or need to be replaced too soon?

Healthy

Does the use, production, or installation of the material affect our health in a negative way?