Читать книгу EcoChi: Designing the Human Experience - Debra Duneier - Страница 10

When you “Go Green and Sustainable” you have made choices that involve participating in an environmentally friendly lifestyle. The intention of these lifestyle choices and initiatives is to create ecological integrity by helping to protect the environment and sustain its resources for future generations. As I studied for my LEED^® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) exam, I soon realized how technically complex this subject is. LEED is a green building rating system and independent certification program that provides voluntary guidelines for developing energy-efficient, sustainable buildings. Created by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED concentrates its efforts on improving performance across these five key areas:

•Energy efficiency

•Indoor environmental quality

•Materials and resources

•Sustainable site development

•Water quality and efficiency

In the course of my studies, I followed a rigorous regimen that included the close evaluation of all aspects of new and existing buildings, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, indoor air quality, landscape, neighborhood development, transportation, water quality and conservation, and more—including “brownfields.” In the United States city planning jargon, a brownfield site is land previously used for industrial or commercial purposes. The land may be contaminated by low concentrations of hazardous waste or pollution, but still have the potential to be reused once it is cleaned up. Lands that require more substantial clean-up are not brownfields.