Water Efficiency
Building industry emissions account for an extensive portion of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide and energy, water, and material usage. Green buildings minimize their negative impact through numerous strategies including using renewable energy sources and eco-friendly materials; reducing waste; and adopting water efficiency strategies.
Resilient green buildings reduce flood damage and operational disruption with resilient building technologies like stormwater management, raised mechanical systems, water-permeable landscaping, and stormwater storage systems. Such strategies may even allow facilities to generate their own power or increase biodiversity.
An effective green strategy encompasses an assessment of environmental impact across its lifecycle by employing life cycle assessment (LCA). LCA takes into account all impacts from extraction of raw materials through operation, repair and maintenance to recycling or disposal.