by Bernadell Larson,
HCMG |
Green versus Sustainable
|
|
Have you ever wondered
why some companies use
the term “green” to
categorize products /
services that are
environmental friendly
and why some companies
use the term “
sustainable’? |
|
The actual definition of
“green” as it refers to
residential and
commercial construction
and landscaping means
that only the natural
resources on the site
are used in the
construction. Therefore
you cannot use power
tools; workers walk to
the site; only natural
resources from the site
is used to build the
home and gardens; etc.
Consequently the U S
Green Building Council,
architects, academia,
and others directly
involved in
construction, use the
term “sustainable”. In
“sustainable” design,
you try to get as close
to “green” as possible
by making
environmentally friendly
choices about products
and services. We all
know nothing would get
built if the trades
could not use power
tools or drive to the
construction site, so
they are acceptable. You
try to use products
within 500 miles to
limit transportation
costs, non-toxic
products, materials from
the site, etc. |
|
How do you get help if
you want to build a
sustainable home and
garden? An initiative of
the U S Green Building
Council in Washington DC
— LEED (Leadership in
Energy and Environmental
Design) for Homes — will
help you do just that.
This voluntary program
was developed to
actively promote the
transformation of the
mainstream home building
industry towards more
sustainable practices.
The program aims to
recognize homes that
incorporate
best-practice
environmental features,
including: |
|
1. The efficient use of
energy resources |
|
2. The efficient use of
water resources |
|
3. The efficient use of
building construction
resources |
|
4. The efficient use of
land resources |
|
5. Enhances indoor
environment quality to
safeguard the health of
the home's occupants |
|
There are eight areas of
accountability for a LEED-H home. The one we
will focus on is
Sustainable Sites, which
include Site
Stewardship,
Landscaping, Shading of
Hardscapes, Surface
Water Management, and
Non-Toxic Pest Control. |
| |
