Appalachian Sustainable
Development is a member of the US Green Building
Council and a founding member of the Greater
Tri-Cities Green Building Coalition.
Greater
Tri-Cities Green Building Coalition
Monthly Meetings are the fourth Thursday of the
month from 11:30am-1:00pm
Location:
HVAC, Inc. 101 3rd St. Bristol, TN
US Green
Building Council Southwest Virginia Chapter
Monthly Meetings are the third Tuesday of every
month from 5:50pm-7:00
Location:
Roanoke, VA area; specific location changes each
meeting. Check website for details –
www.chapters.usgbc.org/swvirginia
US Green
Building Council East Tennessee Chapter
Monthly Meetings are the third Friday of every
month from 11:30am-1:00pm
Location:
The University of Tennessee (at Knoxville)
University Club.
2704 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37996
Why Build Green?
In
the United States, buildings account for:
39 % of total energy use
12 % of the total water consumption
68 % of total electricity consumption
38 % of the carbon dioxide emissions
Environmental benefits
-
Enhance and protect biodiversity and
ecosystems
-
Improve air and water quality
-
Reduce waste streams
-
Conserve and restore natural resources
Economic benefits
-
Reduce operating costs
-
Create, expand, and shape markets for green
product and services
-
Improve occupant productivity
-
Optimize life-cycle economic performance
Social benefits
-
Enhance occupant comfort and health
-
Heighten aesthetic qualities
-
Minimize strain on local infrastructure
-
Improve overall quality of life
About Green Building
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 takes
enormous amounts of energy, water, and
materials, and generates large quantities of
waste, air and water pollution, as well as
creating storm-water runoff and heat islands.
Buildings also develop their own indoor
environments, which present an array of health
challenges. Where and how they are built affects
wildlife habitat and corridors and the
hydrologic cycle, while influencing the overall
quality of human life.
As the environmental impact of buildings becomes
more apparent, a new field called
green building
is gaining momentum. Green or sustainable
building is the practice of creating healthier
and more resource-efficient models of
construction, renovation, operation,
maintenance, and demolition. Research and
experience increasingly demonstrate that when
buildings are designed and operated with their
lifecycle impacts in mind, they can provide
great environmental, economic, and social
benefits. - EPA
Green
Building Links