GEF

Unit 9  |  New Technology and Innovative Sustainability Approaches 201 ecological footprint. In addition to location, the choice of building materials has a substantial impact on sustainability. Embodied energy —the energy required to extract and process building materials, transport them to the building site, and erect them—can account for 30 percent or more of a building’s life-cycle energy. Therefore, the selection of recycled building materials and sustainable materials, such as bamboo, are important strategies in green building design. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) developed the LEED standards (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for “identifying and implementing practical and mea- surable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.” LEED has become the standard for new public construction projects. There are over 80,000 LEED certified projects in 162 countries. Other green building stan- dards, such as DGNB (in Germany), BREEAM (in the UK), Living Building Challenge, and Energy Star, are promoting and incentivizing sustainable building practices around the world. The thick yellow insulation on this building will help it meet LEED certification standards. EMBODIED ENERGY The sum of energy inputs used to make a product, including extraction and refining materials, produc- tion, transportation, and disposal; embodied energy accounts for the total energy necessary for an entire prod- uct life cycle. UNITED STATES GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL (USGBC) A non-profit organization that developed LEED stan- dards and promotes green building practices. LEED STANDARDS A widespread rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council that certi- fies buildings based on their sustainability in terms of water and energy use, mate- rials, and occupant health.