"The built environment is an energy hog. The U.S. EPA has estimated that 68 percent of electricity consumption, 30 percent of landfill waste and 38 percent of carbon-dioxide emissions in this country can be attributed to buildings. Lumber used in new construction may originate from dramatic clear-cuts that ravage forest habitats. Storm-water and erosion problems linked with construction sites can degrade streams. And some products installed in building interiors can give off harmful airborne chemicals, threatening people's health.
Fortunately, a growing number of building professionals in Western North Carolina are bucking the trend of high-impact construction. Attuned to the importance of improving air quality, addressing climate change and protecting the region's pristine mountains and lush forests, the Western North Carolina Green Building Council is working to set a new standard for development. The group has dedicated the past eight years to teaching others how to lessen their environmental impact through green building – and the message seems to be getting through...
...Green building, or sustainable design, means implementing practices that use energy, water and materials more efficiently, and that have a gentler impact on human health and the environment over the entire life cycle of the building. The growth and development of our communities impacts not only on our natural surroundings, but our overall quality of life." ...Read the Entire Article
Rebecca Bowe of the
WNC Green Building Council
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