What is "Green Building" Design or Principles? (Part 1)

Over the past decade or so, "Green Building" has become a real estate trade and building industry buzz word that also gets thrown around loosely in the media or press; but how many people really understand what it is?  The proliferation and use of a variety of different [non standard] "Green Building" logos or images also adds to the confusion...

Put very simply, the ideas behind "Green" building, environmentally friendly, or "eco-conscious" building designs have these principles in mind:

Fundamental Core Principles:

*  Environmentally Friendly
*  Energy Efficient
*  Minimize Water Consumption
*  Create/Maintain Healthy Indoor Environment
*  Use Sustainable Materials

Another way to remember or think about it is by using the acronym "RRRR" - The 4 R's or "R-Square"

*  Reduce - use less
*  Reuse [energy or materials]
*  Recycle - make new again
*  Reclaim


See my part 2 Article for specific ways to achieve "Going Green" and a list of some "Ecologically Sustainable Solutions".

Here are some logos which you may see in advertisements or marketing for "Green Building" designs or materials