What in the world is green construction? No, it's not a building made from moss. The "green" refers to a method of design and construction that minimizes burdens on our natural resources and the environment.

The United States is home to 5 percent of the world's population, yet consumes 26 percent of the world's energy. Buildings in the United States account for 36 percent of this consumption. In addition, 136 million tons of construction and demolition debris is generated in the US each year. Responding to the increased global interest and awareness of environmental issues and the principle of sustainable development, environmental assessment systems have been created specifically for the construction industry. One example is the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

"USGBC has developed an innovative way to define what constitutes a 'green' or 'sustainable' design," says Dennis Day, executive director of public affairs for the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). The LEED rating system now provides standards for the industry to follow, and certifies nonresidential and other buildings that meet USGBC's strict criteria.

The LEED program is a voluntary national standard for developing high-performance sustainable buildings. The rating system awards points for a range of state-of-the-art strategies including sustainable site planning, safeguarding water quality and water efficiency, energy efficiency and renewable energy use, conservation of materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. Launched in 1998, the program has already certified 44 projects nationally, with almost 860 registered projects awaiting certification.

"There are numerous advantages to designing for sustainability that far outweigh the up-front construction costs," says Day. Reduced environmental impacts, lower operating costs, higher productivity due to increased occupant comfort and health (which also may lead to reduced insurance costs), reduced strain on local infrastructure, and community stewardship are just some of the benefits.

More and more, owners from the public and private sector are attracted to the concept of green construction and are starting to demand high-performance buildings. Some state and local governments have established "green" guidelines and incentive programs, as well as requirements for their own public-sector buildings. As interest expands, the construction industry is increasingly challenged to demonstrate its commitment to the environment.

RES Contractors, LLC has availed itself of strategic teaming agreements with partners that are well versed in Green construction and supplement its certified LEED experts with additional capabilities.