Appalachian Sustainable
Development is a member of the
following:
-
US
Green Building Council
-
Western NC Green Building Council
-
National Association of Home Builders
-
North
Carolina Association of Home Builders
-
Asheville Home Builders
-
Virginia Association of Home Builders
-
Roanoke Regional Home Builders Association
-
Founding member of the Holston Valley Green
Building Coalition
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