There are a lot of confusing terms out there these days. If you have ever tried to have a conversation with an architect, you probably have heard them use a lot of terms that mean nothing to you. I thought I would do a series of posts that define some of the terms in the industry today. Next time someone at a party brings one of them up, rather than give them a blank stare, you can engage them without feeling self conscious. Or sprinkle them into conversation yourself, and show everyone how interested you are in the green movement.
USGBC: United States Green Building Council The U.S. Green Building Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation. They are working to help the environment by making buildings greener. They manage a membership of professionals, rate and certify projects, educate the public, and give credentials to professionals who have demonstrated a knowledge of green practices.
LEED: LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a standard used by the USGBC to rate buildings and certify them as being green. This is a multi-tiered rating system based on points that are obtained by meeting specific criteria. It is also variable based on the type and scope of the project. This rating system covers all building projects from new construction to rehab. The system sets the criteria for every level of certification. The levels are certification, silver, gold, and platinum and are achieved by a point system. LEED certification applies to buildings ONLY-not products or companies. If some one tells you their product (or company) is LEED certified, they are selling you a bottle of snake oil-and if you get that reference you know just how old I am.
LEED AP: This stands for LEED Accredited Professional. The USGBC maintains a standard by which professionals can prove their knowledge of the industry through testing and receive LEED AP status. LEED AP designation is tied to a particular individual and not the company they work for. While studying and testing for the LEED AP exam is done on a personal basis, employers may sponsor individuals to take the exam. Furthermore, companies can be members of the USGBC as well as individuals.
GREEN: This is a very ambiguous term. It can mean nearly anything, but I will try to demystify it for you. Green generally applies to products, energy and buildings that conform to certain standards and do as little harm to the environment as possible. Just like natural (and until fairly recently, organic) there is no exact definition for this term. Therefore it is used all the time, mostly as a marketing strategy. Green products are ones that minimize harm to the environment. Cars that are energy efficient are green, gas guzzlers are not. Things made from recycled materials are green, using virgin material is not. Bamboo is green, as it can be renewed quickly, while old growth American Oak is NOT green as it takes 100 years to replace. Energy is green when it comes from renewable resources like wind and the sun, not fossils fuels, which take millions of years to form. Buildings are generally considered green when they meet the LEED certification requirements. Of course, things are never that simple, and you have to watch out for greenwashing.
GREENWASHING: This is a term that is used to describe marketing techniques designed to latch onto current green trends. Because green has no legal definition, any company can use claims to make their product or company seem better than it is. Some people have tried to claim that because they use bamboo in their product it is green. However, if they use bamboo that is shipped from China, made into a veneer and applied to particle board made with toxic chemicals it is not very green. I have heard people call their company green because they recycle their office paper. Big deal-a green office is one that is energy efficient (preferable in a LEED certified building), manages its stormwater runoff, provides public transportation assistance or bike racks and showers, and turns off the lights at night.
Sustainability: The EPA defines says that sustainability means “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The general idea of sustainability is that we need to put things in place so that we are not using up our natural resources faster than they are being replaced. It means that we use wood that is harvested in a way that it is reforested as it is used. It means that we use fuels other than fossil fuels which are finite in quantity. It means reusing items rather than throwing them away.
These are just a few of the terms being bandied about today. Over the next few posts on this topic, I will tell you about Energy Star, pre and post consumer recycled content, light pollution, brownfield, and more. Let me know if there is something you want to know more about.
[...] The Terms You Need to Know When Going Green « Great Lakes Green Pages [...]