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Making Green Building Practices Mainstream

Today’s Reality

The building industry has long been a strong component of Washington’s economy. In 2007, an estimated 270,000 workers were employed by contractors, construction services, and materials suppliers in the state. This resulted in $13 billion for Washington’s economy. It is estimated that every $1 million spent on new construction in Washington creates 16 jobs.

It is important, however, that construction practices consider the environment. The built environment plays a significant role in a number of our current environmental priorities. According to the U.S. Green Building Council:

• Buildings account for 72 percent of electricity use and 39 percent of energy use in the United States.
• Buildings are responsible for 38 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States each year.
• Design and construction of buildings creates about 136 million tons of solid waste a year.
• Buildings account for 40 percent of raw material consumption in the United States.

Buildings also contain potentially dangerous or hazardous substances:

• Treated wood products may contain arsenic, chromium, lead, pentachlorophenol, or creosote pesticides.
• Asbestos, lead, mercury or other known toxic substances, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) flame-retardants and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are found in paints and coatings, plumbing, fluorescent lighting, batteries, thermostats, siding, flooring, insulation, vinyl, plaster, wallboard, and other materials.

Goals: What Washington will look like in 30 years (by 2035)

Thirty-year goals for the Green Building Initiative:

Green building practices are mainstream.

Green building practices and the demand for green homes and buildings are the norm in the Pacific Northwest, due in part to Washington State's leadership. Nearly 100 percent of all renovations and new construction adhere to the highest standards of green building.

Reuse of buildings and recycling of construction materials are normal business practices.

Adapting and reusing existing buildings is a higher priority than dismantling and recycling their components. Materials are safely recycled into high-value products. Recycled and reusable building materials are commonplace and sold through all mainstream building material supply businesses. A network of businesses thrives on reusing and recycling building materials.

Buildings and materials are designed for human, economic, and environmental health.

The design of buildings and construction materials has been transformed, and water and energy needs for buildings are met on site. These buildings operate pollution free, generate no waste, and promote the health and well-being of all inhabitants. Toxic components have been phased out of building materials or recaptured for recycling, and materials are designed to be safely recycled or reused at the end of their life.

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