While the Green Episode focused more on ideas and less on products, I’d like to share where I got some of the numbers and links to some of the certifications mentioned.

Buildings have a profound effect on the environment, which is why green building practices are so important to reduce and perhaps one day eliminate those impacts.

In the United States alone, buildings account for:

• 39% of total energy use
• 12% of total water consumption
• 68% of total electricity consumption
• 38% of total carbon dioxide emissions

However, the environmental impact of buildings is often underestimated, while the perceived costs of building green are overestimated. A recent survey by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development finds that green costs are overestimated by 300%, as key players in real estate and construction estimate the additional cost at 17% above conventional construction, more than triple the true average cost difference of about 5%.

These statistics are from the Wikipedia Green Building article.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)

LEED was created to accomplish the following:

• Define “green building” by establishing a common standard of measurement
• Promote integrated, whole-building design practices
• Recognize environmental leadership in the building industry
• Stimulate green competition
• Raise consumer awareness of green building benefits
• Transform the building market

Green Building Council members, representing every sector of the building industry, developed and continue to refine LEED. The rating system addresses six major areas:

• Sustainable sites
• Water efficiency
• Energy and atmosphere
• Materials and resources
• Indoor environmental quality
• Innovation and design process

This is from Wikipedia’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design article. You can also view their website for more information, including registering a project for certification.

Platinum Certified Buildings

LEED Platinum at UCSB

Sidwell Friends Middle School

Adobe Achieves LEED Platinum

Complete list of Platinum Certified buildings.