A green point of view

摘要

Whether people know it or not, the built environment has an overwhelming impact on our nation's environment, economy, health and productivity. For example, according to U.S. Green Building Council figures, in the U.S. alone, building construction accounts for approximately 40 percent of the raw materials used globally each year (approximately three billion tons annually). Domestically, it's estimated that 136 million tons of building-related construction and demolition (C&D) debris is generated annually by U.S.-based projects alone, roughly 30 percent of the United States' total waste output.rnAnd the building sector's not getting any smaller, either. Over the next three decades, for instance, industry experts predict that building stock will grow to nearly 400 billion square feet, with nearly 75 percent of the buildings either being built or renovated during that period.