a needed shift in the building industry

Why Sustainable Design?

• Buildings in the U.S. consume more than 30% of our total energy and 60% of our electricity annually.
• Buildings consume 5 billion gallons of potable water per day to flush toilets.
• A typical North American commercial construction project generates 2.5 pounds of solid waste per square foot of floor space.
• Studies of workers in green buildings reported productivity gains of up to 16%.
• About ¼ of the increase in carbon dioxide is due to the building sector, Energy efficiency may reduce this by 50%.
• Buildings consume 40% of raw stone, gravel and sand, and 25% of virgin wood.
• Building related sickness may cost between $60 and 400 billion per year.
• People spend as much as 90% of their time indoors.
  

Factoids by LEED Category

Sustainable Sites

• Vehicles are responsible for approximately 20% of U.S. greenhouse gases annually.

Water Efficiency

• 340 billion gallons of fresh water are withdrawn per day from rivers, streams, and reservoirs to support residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and recreational activities.
• Almost 65% of water taken is discharged back to bodies of water after use.
• Annual water deficiency for the US is 3,700 billion gallons.
• US industries today use 36% less water than in 1950 due to reuse and Energy Policy Act of 1992 mandating water conserving plumbing.
• Water consumption rose 6 fold in the last century – double the rate of population.
  

Energy & Atmosphere

• Coal-fired electric utilities produce almost 1/3 the total emission of nitrogen oxide by US citizens.
• Fundamental commissioning can increase building energy efficiency from 5-10%.
• Buildings with M&V programs save 10 to 20% the electricity of buildings without.
• “Lost Productivity” is equated with 20% of occupants complaining 30 minutes per month.
• Occupancy sensors may save up to 60% of light energy costs in a building.
  

Materials & Resources

• 4% of US old growth forest remains.
• 20% of the world’s large ancient forests remain intact.
• 90% of residential construction is wood.
• 40% of the waste stream is due to construction and demolition.
• Recycling an aluminum can uses 5% of the energy needed to create a new can out of virgin mined aluminum.
  

Indoor Environmental Quality

• A well-designed daylit building is estimated to reduce energy use by 50% to 80%.