Fact Sheets on Green Building

A Green Building incorporates design, construction and operational practices that significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on the environment and occupants with strategies for addressing:

- energy efficiency
- greenhouse gas emission abatement
- water conservation
- waste avoidance, reuse and recycling
- pollution prevention - noise, water, air, soil & light
- enhanced biodiversity
- reduced natural resource consumption
- productive and healthier environments
- useable buildings
- social amenity
- transparent reporting

What is a Green Building?
The Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development OECD define Green buildings as those buildings that have minimum adverse impacts on the built and natural environment, in terms of the buildings themselves, their immediate surroundings and the broader regional and global setting.

A green building is designed to minimise the total environmental impact of its materials, construction, operation and deconstruction while maximising opportunities for indoor environmental quality and performance.

Green buildings are constructed and operated in ways that enhance their impact on the environment and on the building occupants.

A green building will save money, reduce waste, increase worker productivity and create healthier environments for people to live and work.