A: Green building at its core is about a project that is energy efficient, eco-friendly, and has sustainable design. To be a truly green building requires a new look at planning from the very beginning of a project, not just from the ground up. But it also requires examination of all aspects of a development. For instance, a building may have all of the well-known green features, yet if the land is not properly selected and prepared, it is not fully following green building standards. Here are a few questions to ask when considering if a building has green status:

• Is the building oriented to take advantage of more sun in the winter and less in the summer?
• Are the windows and entrances shaded?
• Are the bath and kitchen fixtures high efficiency?
• Does the color of the roof promote solar reflectance?
• What type of insulation is being used and is it an envelope system?
• Where do the materials come from? Are they recycled?
• Do the materials release any volatile organic compounds (VOCs)?
• Does the increased energy efficiency allow the use of fewer heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units?
• Is the landscaping planned in such a way that foliage provides maximum shade and selected plants require low, or zero water usage?

A: The leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings put forth by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED gives builing owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings' performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of humna and environmental health (www.usgbc.org):

• Sustainable site development
• Water savings
• Energy efficiency
• Materials selection
• Indoor environmental quality

A: A project is a viable candidate for LEED certification if it can meet all prerequisites and achieve the minimum number of points to earn the Certified level of LEED project certification. To earn certification, a building project must meet certain prerequisites and performance benchmarks ("credits") within each category. Project are awarded Certified Silver, Gold or Platinum certification depending on the number of credits they achieve. This comprehensive approach is the reason LEED-certified buildings have reduced operating costs, healthier and more productive occupants, and conserver our natural resources (www.usgbc.org).

A: LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building project meets the highest performance standards. The LEED plaque is recognized nationwide as proff that a building is environmentally responsible, profitable and a healthy place to live and work (www.usgbc.org).

A: LEED-certified buildings (www.usgbc.org):

• Have lower operating costs and increased asset value
• Are health and comfortable for their occupants
• Reduce waste sent to landfills
• Conserve energy and water
• Reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions
• Quality for tax rebates, zoning allowances, and other incentives in hundreds of cities
• Demonstrate an owner's commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility

A: The perception among many is that green building costs more up front and those increased costs cannot be passed along to the end user, ultimately reducing profits and property market value. As a result, many developers avoid "going green" until these standards are mandated. The reality is that new technologies now provide numerous ways that a developer can incorporate green, eco-friendly features into a project without significantly increasing its costs. Take water usage for example. According to the International Arid Lands Consortium (IALC), the average American's daily drinking water usage of 100 gallons can be reduced to approximately 60 gallons simply by regularly checking for leaks and installing certain low flow devices. These types of costs take careful planning on the front end of every project, and will ultimately save the consumer in water and utility bills.

A: Sustainability is defined as capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment. The current use of the term sustainable, when discussing sustainable building, refers to minimizing a development's carbon footprint and designing a building that will perform at a higher standard for a longer period of time.