Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority

Building Green

What is Green Building? 

A Green Building... is sited, designed, constructed, and operated both to minimize negative impacts on the natural environment and to enhance the well-being of its occupants. Green building strategies and technologies can be incorporated into both residential and commercial new construction and remodeling projects.

 

Green Buildings...

• Provide a healthier and more comfortable environment

• Improve long-term economic performance

• Incorporate energy and water efficient technologies

• Use salvaged, recycled-content, and sustainable harvested materials in their construction

• Reduce construction and demolition waste

• Are landscaped for water and energy efficiency

• Include renewable energy technologies

• Improve indoor air quality

• Incorporate natural heating, cooling, and day lighting techniques

• Reduce environmental impact

• Are easier to maintain & built to last

 

Green Building promotes construction that reduces impacts on the environment and creates a healthier environment for building occupants. Green building techniques and materials can be used for both new building construction and remodels. Green Building includes:

• Energy and water efficient technologies (such as double-pane windows and low-flow toilets)
• Uses recycled content materials (such as plastic lumber made with recycled plastic containers)
• Reduces and Recycles the amount of Construction & Demolition (C&D) Waste generated by a construction project.

The CCCSWA offers information on green building for new construction and remodels, including:   
Electronic and printed guidlnes for green building projects:

• Residential Green Building Guidelines
• New Home Construction Green Building Guidelines
• Home Remodeling Green Building Guidelines
• Multifamily Getting Started Guide
• Residential Green Points Rating System - Green Points is a green building rating standard for builders, homeowners and municipalities.  

Product/Supplier Database - A comprehensive database listing green building products, local suppliers, and service providers. The database is regularly updated to reflect the local availability of materials, development of new materials, and other newly available information. Search this database...

Certified Green Building Professionals - Build It Green offers a comprehensive Green Building Professionals Certification course that is open to all California building professionals (contractors, architects, interior designers, real estate professionals, etc.). To learn more about this training opportunity please visit www.builditgreen.org.