Green Building Standards

Green building is the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings use resources (energy, water, and materials) while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building's lifecycle, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal.

Green building design

means to significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on the environment and on the building occupants. Green building design and construction practices address sustainable site planning, safeguarding water and water efficiency, energy efficiency, conservation of materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality.

Green building practices result in energy-efficient, healthier, and environmentally sustainable buildings by promoting credible and practical green building approaches for residential and commercial construction.

Green homes incorporate environmental considerations and resource efficiency into every step of the building and development process to minimize environmental impact. The design, construction, and operation of a home must focus on energy and water efficiency, resource-efficient building design and materials, and indoor environmental quality and must take the home's overall impact on the environment into account.

In the document "Green Building Standards," ScottMadden gives an overview of existing and developing green building standards and provides a description of the costs and procedures needed for green building certification.