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 3^rd 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