Green Building

What is Green Building?

Green building refers to both the practice and product of creating buildings which are better for our health, environment, and economy. Definitions of green building vary, but the green building movement has three main goals:

• Ensure a healthy, productive indoor environment for occupants to work and live
• Prevent negative impacts to our environment and improve its health
• Reduce operating costs and increase profitability for building owners through energy and resource conservation

Through an integrated design approach which considers building location and orientation, site preparation, energy and water efficiency, material selection, and indoor environmental quality, green buildings will be part of building healthy, sustainable communities for our future. Examples of innovative green building techniques appear on the green building features page. Please see more about the State of Washington's commitment to high-performance green building.

Green Home Remodel Guides - These informative, full-color guides, produced by the City of Seattle's Green Building Program, can help you green your next home remodeling project.

• Green Home Remodel
• Kitchen
• Bath and Laundry
• Roofing
• Salvage and Reuse
• Hiring a Pro
• Painting

Ecology Focus - Ecology's Water Resources program has issued a Focus on Rainwater Collection and Water Right Permitting to address key issues related to rainwater collection in Washington State.

Where Can I Find Green Building Resources in My Area?

For regional information on green building resources and organizations, please click on the area where you live.

How Do You Know It's Green?

Green building certification systems assure building owners and occupants that their home or facility will have better environmental performance and lower operating costs. These systems include the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program, and Built Green™ for residential construction. Buildings may be certified to different levels, depending on the green design elements and anticipated environmental performance.