According to the US Green Building Council, buildings account for a whopping 39% of climate destroying CO2 emissions in the US alone. And those emissions are only expected to grow. On this blog, we have talked about green infrastructure in the context of transportation and water. But physical infrastructure, especially buildings, are unique. Humans have control of how a building will manage energy consumption and emissions every time one is built. And there are new ways of adding green infrastructure in a retrofit fashion to existing buildings as well.
The US Green Building Council is an industry group that is “committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.” No small feat. Aside from the design of a building impacting emissions, building design also has to factor in dozens of other characteristics: how it will impact the surrounding community, how it will function for tenants, what demands will it put on transportation, and the list goes on.
The Illinois Green Alliance is the local USGBC affiliate. They exist to promote green buildings and sustainable communities in Illinois. Please join me as I talk with Brian Imus, Executive Director of the Illinois Green Alliance on Advisor.tv. We discuss why he believes that green infrastructure is key to strengthening neighborhoods and improving the quality of life for everyone.