Building 'Green' Means Locating 'Smart'

"Many of the criteria that the council’s 69-point Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system considers when evaluating new structures or rehabilitated old ones are obvious. They include tighter insulation, more efficient lighting, alternative energy sources, recycling storage areas, use of non-toxic materials, and storm water management. Taken together, they can earn a building many points. But Smart Growth considerations, such as building on brownfields instead of greenfields, locating projects near alternative transportation, and employing more compact design, while counted, can earn at most only nine points. This has spurred some environmental and Smart Growth organizations that enthusiastically support green building codes to begin working with green building advocates to take what they see as the next step: Crafting an expanded rating system that pays attention not only to how, but also to where buildings are constructed."