Green building cuts down on buildings’ environmental, economic, and social impacts – by making them cost-effective, energy efficient, sustainable, safe, healthy, and productive. It’s an integrated approach to planning, designing, building, and maintaining buildings and their landscapes.

In the US, buildings are responsible for 36 percent of total energy use, 30 percent of greenhouse gases, and 30 percent of raw material use.

Building green can:

• Enhance your profits and your assets’ value
• Improve air and water quality
• Improve employee productivity and satisfaction
• Protect ecosystems and biodiversity
• Reduce operating costs and solid waste
• Improve health and reduce health problems, like asthma
• Conserve natural resources
  Contribute to our overall quality of life

What is the DC Green Building Act?
The Green Building Act of 2006 phases in green building in DC. It requires commercial buildings to be certified, using the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. LEED is a nationally-acclaimed benchmark for green building design, construction, and operation; it’s a whole-building approach to sustainability.

It also reqires residential buildings to meet Green Communities standards. The Green Communities checklist provides a clear, cost effective way to green multi- and single-family buildings. To learn more, visit GreenCommunitiesOnline.org. The Act also launches a green building incentive program, a Green Building Fund and a Green Building Advisory Council.

2012 Emergency Regulations

Binding Pledge Documents