Abstract

Green building is currently on the rise. As populations increase, the amount of CO2 emissions increases, thus playing part in global climate change. Green building is a way of building that is more energy efficient, resource efficient and contains less toxic materials. With groups such as the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild, O’Brien and Company and the United States Green Building Council communicating the positive outlook on the concept, the general public is viewing it as a good thing to participate in. Different companies such as Seattle City Light are offering incentive programs for making a household more green. Different rating systems such as LEED, Built Green and Energy Star allow people to interact and be actively giving back to the environment. By using these rating systems, contractors and consumers are held liable for what they are putting into the environment. Due to the excellent means of communication by advocacy groups, companies and organizations, green building is a trend that will become a standard that more and more people accept.

-Danica