What effect will the building green industry have on natural stone?
The concept of “building green†is gaining momentum and becoming more widespread in the design and construction industries. Inevitably, building green - with its emphasis on the environmental impact of building residential, institutional and commercial structures - will have an effect on the stone industry. Will the effect be a positive one or a negative one? It all depends on how the stone industry reacts to the issue.
To understand the potential impact of building green, one must understand its concept. Building green is a methodical approach to the design, construction and operation of a building that uses more renewable resources, reduces the impact on natural resources, minimizes waste, creates a healthier indoor environment and increases energy efficiency. Why is this important? According to a 2002 report by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a growing nonprofit coalition of leading associations and companies in the building industry that promotes green buildings, there are more than 76 million residential buildings and nearly 5 million commercial buildings in the U.S. Even more staggering, by 2010, there will be an additional 38 million buildings constructed. Considering the amount of energy, electricity and natural resources needed to support this building boom, the design, construction and maintenance of these buildings will have a significant impact on the environment and natural resources. While green building has been around for some time and was once considered important only to environmentalists, increasing energy prices have caused many to think twice about environmental-friendly buildings and how to operate them more efficiently and economically.