Is 'Green Building' Certification Broken?

"Eco-friendly, or "green," buildings are one of the most talked-about trends in the trillion-dollar U.S. construction industry. Boosters say that for a relatively small up-front cost, such buildings can be cheaper to operate. Though more attention is paid to pollution by cars, buildings today account for a third of U.S. energy use, 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, and 30% of raw material use. Americans spend 90% of their time indoors.

But unlike other so-called green products -- such as hybrid cars and compact fluorescent lightbulbs -- some green buildings are little more energy-efficient than traditional structures. Yet they manage to earn a coveted certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, a leading, private environmental organization.

...Some critics say the system gives too much weight to certain easy tasks, while giving the same weight to much more expensive ones."

"Goldman Sachs's 30 Hudson Street was deemed 'green' by the U.S. Green Building Council by scoring 27 points on a 69-point scale, although the building does little to cut energy use or pollution. The minimum is 26."

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