Green building, or sustainable design, is no new concept to the world in general. A concept that gained some traction in the 70’s is finally being taken more seriously. It is no question that the way we, as individuals, live and interact with our environment can have detrimental effects, not only us and our local community, but also the world at large. A small change in our society’s behavior could make a huge impact around the globe, not only economically and politically, but environmentally as well. In summary, a shift in our individual ideals can have a huge impact on the worldwide community.
In the last decade or so, more recently of course, this shift into becoming a more sustainable society has affected us on almost every level; from the products we consume, the food we eat, and for us here at Lafayette Legacy, the ways we build, design, and plan. LEED (Leadership in Energy Efficient Design), which is part of the US Green Building Council, is moving architecture and construction down a new path, a more sustainable path, one where many of us as builders feel a responsibility to be held accountable for our decisions.
LEED affects almost every facet of the design process. It encourages those of us responsible for our built environment to minimize the impact on the finite resources we used to feel were unlimited such as land, water, and materials like stone or wood. It also holds architects, planners and builders accountable for the health and well being of our atmosphere and therefore us. The air we breath, both inside and outside buildings, the water we drink, the food we eat, are all effected by the way we build.
It is then our passion to engage ourselves in a task much larger than you or I. Though it may take extra work or effort, the payoff will be gigantic.
