Green building is a wide-ranging, complex topic, and “green” is one of the buzzwords in the building field today.

Contributing editor Scott Gibson takes a look at the complicated definition of building green now. A variety of local and regional programs make green building hard to standardize, but green has some key goals, including a tight building envelope, low energy consumption, minimal site disturbance, water conservation, harnessing sun exposure, water and energy efficiency, the use of recycled materials and healthful indoor air quality. Gibson also discusses the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, which requires third-party verification for a building to achieve green status. The article includes five case studies for houses in a variety of locations (urban, rural, mountain) and highlights the qualities that make each green.

What Does Green Really Mean_FHB185.pdf