The principle green building standards and programs were developed to provide a common understanding of what makes a building green. They identify steps that designers, builders and operators can take to improve the performance of a building.
The standards also provide a benchmark from which to measure green building performance. Systems that include independent, third-party verification offer the highest level of accountability and credibility that buildings will perform as claimed. Local governments benefit from independent verification, too, because it reduces risk and administrative requirements for staff members who are implementing the green building program. The outside reviewer, not the city or county inspectors, verify performance.
Case Studies
When city or county staff members need to explain what a green building program would look like, it often helps to cite case studies of projects that demonstrate the costs and benefits. Many local governments feature case studies of green building projects within their jurisdictions, and local homebuilder associations may have prepared case studies about green homes that have been certified under their guidelines. Visit Partner websites and Green Building Resources for a comprehensive list of local government green building programs.
You can also obtain case studies from these resources:
- BuildingGreen.com Case Studies Database (nearly 200 case studies in a searchable format).
- California Integrated Waste Management Board (case studies of buildings in California).
- Green Value Green Buildings (11 detailed case studies from the United States and Canada).
- U.S. Department of Energy High Performance Buildings Database (nearly 100 case studies in a searchable format).
- USGBC LEED Certified Projects Database
