Green Building Principles and Resources

The buildings in which we live, work, and play protect us from Nature's extremes, yet they also affect our health and environment in countless ways. The design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal of buildings take enormous amounts of energy, water, and materials.

This sedum-planted roof at Ford's truck assembly factory has become the primary symbol for greening Corporate America.

The plantings work as a sponge (reducing storm water runoff) and as insulation (protecting the building in both hot and cold weather). As the environmental impact of buildings becomes more apparent, a new field called Green Building is gaining momentum. 

Cut energy costs long-term by: 

• Buying Green               Many utilities offer rebates in return for purchasing efficient appliances through the Federal Government's Energy Star program

• Upgrade your windows  Look for windows with multiple layers of glazing, and approved by the NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council), a non-profit collaboration of window manufacturers.

• Use Window Film     Roughly one third of an average building’s cooling load is due to Solar Heat gain through windows, according to the Building Energy Databook, an annual report of data averages published by the U.S. Department of Energy.

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