Green building has not gotten as much traction as it should, given its many benefits, writes Lance Hosey, Chief Sustainability Officer with RTKL.
Despite reports that LEED-certified buildings can cut greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption by half, while costing 25% less to operate, only about 1% of the U.S. building stock is green. Hosey attributes this situation to six misperceptions about sustainable design:
1. Myth: Sustainability Equals Environmentalism. Reality: Green design is not just for tree huggers. It also produces economic value.
2. Myth: Sustainability Equals Technology. Reality: Sustainability is not just about solar panels and wind turbines.
3. Myth: Sustainable Design Costs Too Much. Reality: Today, LEED-certified buildings can be built at the same cost or even lower cost than conventional construction.
4. Myth: Sustainable Design Takes More Time. Reality: Integrated design, which brings together a project's key stakeholders, designers, consultants and contractors early to get consensus on goals, can save time by ensuring more thorough coordination and avoiding costly changes later.
5. Myth: Sustainability Isn't About Design. Reality: Green design is not just about specifications in a technical manual. For instance, decisions about a building’s shape have a significant impact on the resources needed.
6. Myth: Sustainable Design Isn't Beautiful. Reality: The look and feel of design are essential to sustainability. “Following the lessons of sustainability to their logical conclusion will inspire more designers to reconsider the impact of every decision, including form and image,” Hosey says.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | May 18, 2020
Strategies to reduce personal contact in multifamily properties
Design can improve health amid COVID-19 pandemic.
Codes and Standards | May 18, 2020
Canada Green Building Council says building industry lacks zero-carbon skills, knowledge
Net-zero target requires shift in thinking and practices.
Codes and Standards | May 18, 2020
California’s grid can support all-electric buildings
Load-shifting will help reduce peak demand.
Codes and Standards | May 15, 2020
European cities to revamp transportation after pandemic reopening
Road closures, new rules for public transit will be imposed.
Codes and Standards | May 14, 2020
Washington State construction industry restart plan has three phases
In state with earliest COVID-19 cases, advisory group developing priorities based on risk.
Codes and Standards | May 14, 2020
More mass timber beam and column options available in the U.S.
Freres Lumber unveils new line of structural elements suitable for high-rise buildings.
Codes and Standards | May 13, 2020
Researchers flag insufficient training for construction workers on healthcare projects
May contribute to fungal disease outbreaks that endanger patients
Codes and Standards | May 8, 2020
New NIBS report evaluates natural disaster mitigation strategies
Document examines strengthening buildings for flood, wind, wildfires, and earthquakes.
Codes and Standards | May 6, 2020
A few ways contractors can manage COVID-19 risks
Staggered start times, rigorous tool cleaning, virtual training among the strategies.
Codes and Standards | May 5, 2020
NAHB loses influence in 2021 IECC building code development
Despite objections from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the development of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) is nearing conclusion. NAHB objected to several more stringent energy efficiency provisions.
