Study: Green building advances structure resiliency

A new report by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, recently found that eco-friendly construction is not only energy efficient – it is also physically safer for its residents. The report, titled "Green Building and Climate Resilience: Understanding Impacts and Preparing for Changing Conditions," concluded that greener construction makes for better building resiliency. The authors further said that given the higher safety standards applied to green construction, as well as its innate higher energy efficiency and health benefits, "improved durability could boost the market appeal of green structures." The researches found that construction features used on green construction "may also help green buildings and their occupants ride out long-term climate shifts, such as droughts or heat waves, and even give an edge in short-term disasters, by staying dry in floods and well sealed during high winds." With tornadoes, floods, hurricanes and earthquakes across the US, Craig Fugate, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency said that "It is important that we develop and enforce safe and sustainable building codes to make our communities more resilient, and to protect lives and property in times of disaster." Chris Pyke, vice president at USBGC said: "Climate change has the potential… increase risks to people and property. There are practical steps we can take to understand and prepare for the consequences of changing environmental conditions and reduce potential impacts." Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter