Steelsmith supports the use of environmentally-friendly materials in its projects, and can help customers identify ways to complete their projects in a more “green” fashion, if so desired. Here is some background on the green building initiative.
In 2007 the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the International Code Council (ICC) partnered to form to establish a much-needed and nationally-recognizable standard definition of what is meant by “Green Building.” A consensus committee was formed to develop this standard in compliance with the requirements of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The resulting ANSI approved ICC-700-2008 National Green Building Standard defines green building for site development projects while still allowing for the flexibility required for regionally-appropriate best green practices.
Similar to the NAHB Model Green Homebuilding Guidelines, a builder, remodeler or developer must incorporate a minimum number of features in the following areas: energy, water, and resource efficiency, lot and site development, indoor environmental quality, and home owner education. The more points accrued, the higher the score.
Government incentives and policies are increasing the number of green commercial buildings and retrofits, as well. Nearly 25% of all new construction projects in the U.S. are recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Additionally, the number of states with green building policies, standards, legislation, and programs increased from 13 to 31 between 2005 and 2008, according to the “Green Outlook Report,” from McGraw Hill Construction, 2009.
In the prefabricated steel building market, green practices include auditing the content and manufacturing processes used for paint coatings and other materials, the distance between manufacturer and dealer to measure carbon emissions from vehicles, and adhering to other pertinent LEED standards. Green systems and materials reduce energy consumption, which in turn reduce energy bills. They also increase asset value and profits and decrease marketing time; making dollars go further for longer.
