Green buildings are designed to be gentler on the environment and healthy and safe for occupants

Factors that must be considered in the design, construction and operation of green buildings include energy-efficiency, water conservation, responsible material selection, reduction of waste and pollution, and healthy indoor environmental quality. Although many of us are aware of some of the larger issues – such as global warming and rising energy costs – from the media and movies such as The 11th Hour and An Inconvenient Truth, there are quite a few striking facts that are not so well known, such as:

• The EPA estimates that as many as 15% of Americans are allergic to their own homes.
• Levels of volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) can be as much as ten times higher indoors than outdoors, and many products containing VOCs can continue to off-gas for months after use.
• 85,000-95,000 chemicals are registered for use in the U.S., yet only a small fraction have been adequately tested for safety.
• According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the number of asthma cases more than doubled from 1980-1998 – to more than 17 million.
• 2,4-D, a major component of Agent Orange, is used today in over 1,500 lawn care products.
• More than one-third of calls to animal poison control centers are due to pet exposure to pesticides.
• An estimated 6 billion pounds of chemicals are consumed in the United States each year to clean and maintain institutional and commercial buildings.

Green design and construction practices encompass many of the most positive human attributes,
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FA decision was made early on to save the existing brick façade and structure of the building.
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In choosing green products and materials, there are many factors that must be considered,
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