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Environmental Impacts Environmental Impacts of of Green Building Programs Green Building Programs
Environmental ImpactsEnvironmental Impacts
ofof
Green Building ProgramsGreen Building Programs
How green building initiativesHow green building initiatives
positively impact the environment.positively impact the environment.
Determining environmental attributesDetermining environmental attributes
of building materials.of building materials.
–– Certification programsCertification programs
–– Renewable vs. Non-RenewableRenewable vs. Non-Renewable
–– The Issue of Rapidly RenewableThe Issue of Rapidly Renewable
–– Recycled Materials vs. Non-Recycled (areRecycled Materials vs. Non-Recycled (are
recycled materials alwaysrecycled materials always
environmentally better?)environmentally better?)
–– LCA/LCILCA/LCI
Environmental Impacts of Green BuildingEnvironmental Impacts of Green BuildingProgramsPrograms
Who Decides and How?
Determining Environmental Attributes of Materials
Certification Programs
Determining Environmental Attributes of Materials
Forest Forest CertificationCertification andand
Certified WoodCertified Wood
Determining Environmental Attributes of Materials
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)
Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
Program for the Endorsement of ForestCertification Programs (PEFC)
Forest Certification Programs
FSC Principles
Compliance with laws
Tenure and use rights and responsibilities
Indigenous Peoples’ rights
Community relations & worker’s rights
Benefits from the forest
Environmental Impact
Management Plan
Monitoring and Assessment
Maintenance of High Conservation Value Forests
Plantations
To date, identification of
“green” building materials
within LEED is characterized
by intuition and a focus on
single attributes . . .
Determining Environmental Attributes of Materials
. . . except for wood.
For wood to receive a point
as a “green” material within
the LEED program it must be
FSC certified.
Determining Environmental Attributes of Materials
FSC Principles
Compliance with laws
Tenure and use rights and responsibilities
Indigenous Peoples’ rights
Community relations & worker’s rights
Benefits from the forest
Environmental Impact
Management Plan
Monitoring and Assessment
Maintenance of High Conservation Value Forests
Plantations
But if these factors constitute
essential elements in selection
of a green building material,
why does LEED not require
compliance with such standards
for any material other than
wood?
Determining Environmental Attributes of Materials
In January 2003, WWF took the
first steps to create a Mining
Stewardship Council, noting
pervasive environmental, social,
and economic problems linked
to mining activity worldwide.
Determining Environmental Attributes of Materials
There is no justification for
singling out only one
construction material for a host
of special requirements.
The production and use of all
building materials results in
environmental and other
impacts.
Determining Environmental Attributes of Materials
In the LEED program, wood
does not receive any
recognition for being a
Renewable Material
However, materials can receive a
credit under the LEED program
for being Rapidly Renewable
Yet, growing, and harvesting of
bamboo has all of the problems
often attributed to wood.
Determining Environmental Attributes of Materials
Why are there no certification
standards within LEED for bamboo
and other fast-growing materials?
In the LEED program, a
“green” credit is awarded
for use of recycled
materials.
Yet, systematic analysis has
shown that recycled materials
such as steel studs nonetheless
require twice the energy to
produce, and result in more
than twice the release of
greenhouse gases and other
pollutants, as wood studs.
Determining Environmental Attributes of Materials
Determining Environmental Attributes of Materials
Why, within LEED, is the use of
LCA/LCI not required as part of the
environmental assessment of
building materials?
In the LEED program, vinyl
can be part of a “green”
building.
Yet, vinyl is produced from non-
renewable raw materials, is
highly energy intensive, yields
enormous quantities of
undesirable pollutants in its
manufacture, is non-recyclable,
and is non-biodegradable at the
end of product life.
Determining Environmental Attributes of Materials
The status of vinyl within LEED
apparently stems from an
intuitive belief, reinforced by
promotion on the part of vinyl
producers, that vinyl is
maintenance free and has a
long life.
Determining Environmental Attributes of Materials
Neither is true.
LCA/LCI
Determining Environmental Attributes of Materials.
Life Cycle Inventory (LCI)
Examination of all measurable:
•Raw material inputs
•Products and by-products
•Emissions
•Effluents
•Wastes
Life Cycle Inventory (LCI)
May involve all stages in production, use,
and disposal, including:
•Extraction
•Transportation
•Primary processing
•Conversion to semi-finished products
•Incorporation into finished products
•Maintenance
•Disposal/reuse
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)
Examines costs associated with
specific environmental burdens:
•Cleanup costs
•Health impacts
•Landscape impacts
•Environmental impacts
Determining Environmental Attributes of Materials
U.S. Database Project
Conclusions
Though conclusive evidence is
not yet available, it appears
that green building programs
are changing the nature of
discussion and decision-making
on the part of both home
builders and home buyers . . . to
the benefit of the environment.
To ensure that Green Building
Programs are, in fact, positively
impacting the environment
designation of environmentally
preferable materials must
include consideration of
scientifically verifiable
information including embodied
energy.
