Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

Q. What is green building/sustainable design?

A. Green building is a comprehensive approach to design that enhances efficiency in all aspects of a building’s life-cycle. The purpose of green building design is to increase a structure’s energy efficiency, water efficiency, and overall sustainability. Every aspect of construction is examined to ensure minimal environmental impact. From the raw materials chosen for construction to the positioning of the building on its site, everything is designed to reduce the environmental footprint of the building.

Innovative high-efficiency design techniques include: collecting rain water for non-drinking uses such as toilets and sprinklers; using recyclable materials such as certified wood products in building construction; aligning buildings properly to prevent soil erosion and runoff; and, using renewable energy sources, such as solar hot water heaters, throughout the building whenever possible.

Green building considers all building components during the design phase. It considers the building structure as a whole and examines how its various subsystems work best together to save energy and reduce environmental impact. A building that uses extensive daylighting techniques, for example, will reduce the amount of heat given off by lighting fixtures, thus allowing for a smaller air conditioning system. This whole-building philosophy considers the interrelation of site, energy, materials, indoor air quality, acoustics, and natural resources.(1)

Q. What are the economic and health benefits of green building?

A. Green building techniques can yield economic benefits through energy conservation, water conservation, and a reduction in the amount of material waste sent to landfills. If high-efficiency measures are implemented at the outset of the design process, tremendous energy savings can be achieved over a structure’s life-cycle.

Green design is also economically lucrative from the perspective that it positively impacts worker productivity through improved ventilation and use of sunlight for lighting and heating (daylighting). A report by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Rocky Mountain Institute documents eight case studies, in which efficient lighting, heating, and cooling measurably increased worker productivity, decreased absenteeism, and/or improved the quality of work performed.(2) Recent research also suggests that a well-designed workplace can increase employee productivity by 20 percent.(1)

Q. What impact could building design improvements have on our domestic energy supply?

A. Buildings constitute 45% of worldwide energy use. Widespread use of green building and sustainable design techniques could significantly reduce the overall demand on our energy supply.

Q. Doesn’t green building cost more?

A. A recent study of 33 green buildings in California found that the average cost of building green over traditional methods (the “premium”) was about 2%, which equals about $4 per square foot. The average energy reduction from the 33 buildings was 30 percent. This alone provides savings sufficient to pay back the initial 2% premium in less than 9 years. The same study found that, over a twenty year period, the overall net savings for a green building is between $48.87 - $67.31 per square foot, depending on the LEED rating of the building.(3)

Continuing Education

Q. What sort of topics would be covered in a green building continuing education (GBCE) course?

A. The American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Health, Safety, and Welfare program offers numerous green building/sustainable design courses.

According to Abby Vogen, project manager for the Daylight Collaborative at the Energy Center of Wisconsin, key topics to cover in GBCE courses are:

• Critical building systems (mechanical, electrical, lighting, building controls, etc.);
• Specific technologies;
• Integration (stress the importance of communication among all parties involved in the building process at the outset of the design phase); and
• Follow up (How does the building operate after it is constructed?)

The practice of green building and the curriculum used to teach it can be broken down into five basic subcategories(4):

Energy

Building orientation; energy saving appliances; use of renewable or on-site energy sources; design for daylighting; trees and gardens used to capture rain or heat (to minimize reliance on heating and cooling systems).

Health and Safety

Building materials; paints and finishes that emit fewer toxic fumes; safer pest control and yard-care methods; design for effective ventilation; design for access to public transportation and transportation alternatives.

Site and Land Use

Avoiding development on inappropriate sites; natural erosion control to reduce impact on water and air quality; inclusion of natural habitat areas at the site; heat island reduction.

Materials and Waste

Use of recycled, recyclable, sustainably managed, and local materials; materials chosen to reduce life-cycle ecological impact; use of composting.

Water

Landscaping using native, drought-resistant plants; landscaping to reduce runoff; water recycling for landscape use; water efficient plumbing and appliances.

Q. Who offers GBCE courses?

A. Any group or individual who is certified by the AIA to do so may offer such courses. Some organizations, like the Wisconsin Green Building Alliance and the AIA’s Committee on the Environment (COTE) already specialize in GBCE courses. With the introduction of a mandatory GBCE policy, the number of venues offering GBCE courses would likely increase.

Q. I’m having a hard time envisioning what a GBCE course might be like. Can you give me an example?

A. Here is an authentic GBCE course description as listed on BuildingGreen.com’s 2003 Calendar of Events:

Course Title: Biomimicry and Architecture in Montana’s Rocky Mountains

Course Description: This hands-on, interactive course brings nature’s strategies and solutions to the design table for students and professional architects, engineers, and designers. AIA Continuing Education Credit is available.

Green Building Tax Credit

Q. What is the advantage of a green building tax credit?

A. A green building tax credit encourages developers to construct green buildings by helping to offset some of the additional costs associated with design and construction.

Q. Who can apply for a green building tax credit?

A. Under our model bill, any taxpayer who will be the owner or contract purchaser of a proposed facility, at the time of construction of the facility, may apply for a green building tax credit.

Q. What kinds of buildings are eligible for a green building tax credit?

A. Under our model bill, for a building to be eligible for a green building tax credit it must meet the following requirements:

• The building must obtain a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating of Silver, Gold, or Platinum.
• In achieving the LEED rating, the building must also earn at least four LEED points for Energy and Atmosphere Credit Number One. This means that new buildings must reduce design energy costs by 30% compared to the ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-1999 requirements. Existing buildings must reduce design energy by 20 percent.
• In achieving the LEED rating, the building must earn the LEED point for Energy and Atmosphere Credit Number Three. This credit, which is given for additional commissioning, ensures that the entire building is built, including all systems within, designed, constructed, functionally tested, and calibrated to operate as intended.

State Building Requirements

Q. To which buildings do the state green building standards apply?

A. Under our model bill, the state green building standards apply to any building that has at least 5,000 square feet and is either owned or operated, in whole or in part, by a state agency, or is constructed on land leased from the state.

Q. Who is responsible for making sure that new building projects meet the state green building standards?

A. Under our model bill, if the building is owned by the state, then the state agency or instrumentality of the state that is responsible for the building is responsible for making sure that the new building meets the green building standards.

If the building is constructed on land leased by the state, then the owner or contract purchaser of the building is responsible for making sure that the new building meets the green building standards.