Roth: Green building – It’s easier than you think
You don’t have to repaint your house or build it out of moss or turf to achieve green building status.
So what really is green? Green means being healthy, sustainable, and environmentally and socially responsible. Green living can be incorporated into almost any facet of your life from what car you drive, what you wear, what you eat and certainly the buildings where you live or work.
There are many aspects to green building and green construction. Material choices can be green. The method by which materials arrive at a job site, the amount of waste generated and the method of waste disposal can be green.
The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit organization that developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Building Rating System (LEED), which certifies and rates projects that meet their inspection criteria. LEED is a nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance buildings. LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building project is sustainable, profitable and a healthy place to live and work.
In Oklahoma, there is an effort by public and private sectors to gain LEED status.
Last year, House Bill 3394 filed by a former House speaker required all new state-owned buildings or major renovations of state-owned buildings to meet the LEED effective energy and environmental standards, eventually cutting operating costs and saving taxpayer money.
Boldt Construction Co.’s southern operations headquarters, located in Oklahoma City, has set the state standard for a green building. It is Oklahoma’s first private building to earn silver LEED certification from the building council.
Perhaps the most high-profile green project in the state is a residential development in downtown Oklahoma City. Block 42 already is LEED certified thanks to green features included in its design and construction.
Green projects exist across the state, including InterGen’s Redbud energy building in Luther and Wal-Mart’s newest Neighborhood Market in Tulsa, which includes their newfound green practices.
Future projects include the much publicized headquarters for Devon Energy in downtown Oklahoma City. It not only will be a 54-story aesthetic skyscraper, but it has been registered with the U.S. Green Building Council with the intent to achieve LEED certification.
Oklahoma City University is considering utilizing green building techniques in future construction projects to complement its other green activities.
The Oklahoma Chapter of the USGBC is growing with almost 200 members. Its membership represents a diverse range of professionals consisting of contractors, consultants, developers, product vendors/manufacturers, real estate/facility managers, educators, architects, engineers and interior designers.
Whether you’re interested in reducing your carbon footprint and improving environmental quality, creating a healthier atmosphere for your business or family, conserving energy and natural resources, lowering your utility bills, reaping tax benefits or creating a sustainable space, the decision for choosing green construction is an easy one that benefits us all.