Is the Green Building Council's popular and respected "green certification" program heavy on costs and paperwork, and low on actual results?
"Eco-friendly, or "green," buildings are one of the most talked-about trends in the trillion-dollar U.S. construction industry. Boosters say that for a relatively small up-front cost, such buildings can be cheaper to operate. Though more attention is paid to pollution by cars, buildings today account for a third of U.S. energy use, 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, and 30% of raw material use. Americans spend 90% of their time indoors.
But unlike other so-called green products -- such as hybrid cars and compact fluorescent lightbulbs -- some green buildings are little more energy-efficient than traditional structures. Yet they manage to earn a coveted certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, a leading, private environmental organization.
...Some critics say the system gives too much weight to certain easy tasks, while giving the same weight to much more expensive ones."
"Goldman Sachs's 30 Hudson Street was deemed 'green' by the U.S. Green Building Council by scoring 27 points on a 69-point scale, although the building does little to cut energy use or pollution. The minimum is 26."
[Editor's note: The link below is available to non-subscribers for a period of seven days.]
Thanks to Ashwani Vasishth
FULL STORY: Is It Too Easy Being Green?

Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.

National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.

Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.

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Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.

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