Update: Greenwashing the Construction Industry
In a relevant update to my previous post on greenwashing, Scot Case, of the environmental consulting firm TerraChoice goes before the US Congress and says consumers are being deliberately lied to by corporations claiming environmental benefits to their products. In the article US shoppers misled by greenwash, the study finds that 98% of products claiming green-ness are false or misleading.
This is a great chance for the US federal government to set policies establishing fair market procedures for green products. People want to do the right thing, but they need help.
For those of us in the construction industry, this should serve as a warning. How much can you trust the claims of products available in the market? Third-party objectively verified results are the only way you will know for sure. Thus, LEED certification, Forest Stewardship Council, and similar programs will become the standard for green buildings. Nothing else will be relevant in the long run.
Also, I am happy to report that my greenwashing post was published in the April edition of Modern Steel Construction magazine, see the “Topping Out” section. This post apparently struck a chord with some people, and it was an honor to be selected.
Although the USGBC LEED scoring system continues to evolve, it is not perfect when it comes to energy efficiency of heated, venitilated and air conditioned space. Be careful what bandwagon you jump on — dragging others with you.
Your comment is appreciated, but I don't see much of an argument here. Is there any system that is "perfect"? The USGBC LEED system does a very good job at meeting its goals. It is not mandatory, so any improvements from conventional construction processes should be celebrated.
My delusions of grandeur notwithstanding, my statements about LEED will not have an impact on the behavior of the industry. LEED was chosen as the de facto green rating system after a thorough study for the General Services Adminstration. "Based on the results [of the report], GSA finds that the LEED rating system continues to be the most appropriate and credible sustainable building rating system available for evaluation of GSA projects." The GSA builds and operates many of the federal buildings, so they represent a large portion of the construction industry.
In my opinion nothing could be better than people jumping on the bandwagon. As it currently stands LEED represents a consensus opinion of "green design" from many industry leaders. The most important reasons people trust it is that the ratings are independently verified by third-party entities. This is the main issue under discussion in my posts on greenwashing.
Regarding the energy efficiency of conditioned space, certified LEED buildings have a good record. A report prepared for the USGBC found that LEED facilities are saving 25%-30% over conventional construction. Not perfect, but as advertised. (Note, this data is backed up by the GSA study showing a 26% reduction in energy use)
As you pointed out, LEED will continue to evolve. Call your local representative and lobby your case for improvements. They are on a 3-year code cycle so you will have plenty of chances.