As the demand for Green Buildings increases, someone who is starting out in the field needs to have ways to distinguish themselves as Green Architects. One method that professionals in the Green Building Industry have to distinguish themselves as knowledgeable in Green Building is to obtain an accreditation from LEED. While the general public is […]
LEED and Green Globes are Green Building rating systems used in both the United States and Canada. Both systems focus on providing tools for developers of Green Buildings by using online assessments and rating systems. These rating systems are very valuable tools for developers who are looking to create Green Buildings, as they provide information […]
As environmental awareness increases, a new word has entered our vocabulary: “greenwashing.” You’re probably familiar with “whitewashing,” that is, to justify a particular action by pretending to investigate it or by presenting well-researched data which are actually quite biased. The negative connotation of the term goes back to the days when poor British and Irish […]
Competition between forest certification programs has embroiled the green building industry in controversy and confusion. When the smoke of propaganda clears, will there be a standard we can point to that best ensures the protection for our forests? Back in the 1980s, public concern over deforestation spurred non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in developed countries to campaign […]
Green designers and builders refer to Cradle-to-Gate, Cradle-to-Site, or Cradle-to Grave. What do the terms have in common? There are all related to building embodied energy and life cycle assessment. The premise is simple. Buildings require energy long before they are actually built because it takes energy to extract, manufacture, transport, use, and dispose of […]
On March 3 of this year, the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) launched a global project to prove that green office buildings actually do result in greater business productivity. This comes at a time when business owners, developers, and investors remain skeptical about the profitability of “going green.” With this project, WorldGBC hopes to supplement the research summarized […]
Tsk…tsk…can’t the green rating systems get along? As LEED and Green Globes duke it out in the press and through lobbyists, the question is: What’s the fuss all about? Let’s back up for a moment into respective corners of the ring and briefly review the game plans. For years, the U.S. Green Building Council’s building […]
Remember when you played connect-the-dots as a child? On a page was a set of numbered dots that formed a picture when the lines were correctly drawn between them. As interest in environmental sustainability, and all of its associated issues, grows, it becomes increasingly important to connect the landscaping dots. The many dots are labeled […]
Baby boomers have forced people to think differently about aging. They are learning new technologies, exercising to stay healthy, and working longer. It seems that age is relative to how well the existing structure (body) is maintained and upgraded as new information is introduced. There are certainly some similarities to aging, existing buildings, isn’t there? […]