- Conventional building construction and operation consumes large quantities of wood, water, metals, fossil fuels and other natural resources. Even though the majority of the materials used to build a home are put to good use, vast quantities of resources are wasted. In fact, building an average 2,000 square feet house produces about 7,000 pounds of waste.
- According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Center for Sustainable Development, buildings consume 40% of the world's total energy, 25% of its wood harvest and 16% of its water. Compared to traditional construction, a green built home takes some of this pressure off the environment.
- Building-related construction and demolition (C&D) debris totals approximately 136 million tons per year, accounting for nearly 60 percent of total non-industrial waste generation in the U.S. (1996)
- On average, Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, yet indoor levels of pollutants may be 2 -5 times higher, and occasionally more than 100 times higher, than outdoor levels, according to the EPA.
- Sources of indoor air pollution may include: combustion sources; building materials and furnishings; household cleaning, maintenance, personal care, or hobby products; central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices; and outdoor sources such as radon, pesticides, and outdoor air pollution.
- A report in the New England Journal of Medicine states that 40% of children will develop respiratory disease, in part due to the chemicals in their homes. A common source of indoor air pollution is the off-gassing of chemicals found in many building materials.
If you have a great "Did You Know" to add to this list, please send it to submit@sustainablelafayette.net
The facts listed above were found in various books, articles, and web sites that seemed credible and reliable, and also contributed by members of the network.