Case Study of Rating of Green Building

This paper presents the basic concepts and terminology used in designing and constructing green buildings, based on state-of-the-art design and construction practices. It is designed for you, the intelligent reader, who may not be actively engaged in architecture or building engineering, but who needs a quick introduction to the rationale for green buildings. It will also be useful for public officials; for those dealing with green building or sustainability requirements from within or outside your company, organization or agency; for those whose livelihood depends on financing, building and marketing commercial development projects, and new residential subdivisions or multifamily projects; for real estate brokers and agents; for people in the finance, insurance and real estate industries; for senior executives in universities, government agencies and large corporations who want to understand what all the fuss is about; and for anyone who has an interest in turning the design, construction and operation of buildings in to a more environmentally responsible activity. Green building enthusiasts have made this phenomenon a major part of the design and construction industry over the past ten years. Since 2000 the number of green buildings has grown from a handful to more than 5,000 projects in the US and over 400 in Canada actively seeking certification of one kind or another at the end of 2006.This is the fastest-growing phenomenon to hit the building industry since the Internet and perhaps since air conditioning.