Two Green Terms: Defined
Sometimes it’s easy to get lost in vernacular and what may seem jargon until you understand the terminology. With that goal in mind we provide the following definitions (as furnished by the EPA) of the two most basic terms and concepts since we believe it’s always best to start with a solid understanding of concepts before a true foundation can be built.BUILDING GREEN: The practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle ranging from site plan to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction. This practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort. A green building is also known as a sustainable or high performance building.SUSTAINABILITY: The term has many definitions but the basic principles and concepts are to balance a growing economy, provide protection for the environment, and increase social responsibility, so they together lead to an improved quality of life for ourselves and future generations. As President George W. Bush defined it, being sustainable means “to create and maintain conditions, under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations of Americans.”Stay tuned for other terms and concepts that we’ll take a look at in future posts since the vernacular landscape of “all things green” is broad and changes almost as quickly as technology.