Sustainable building a necessity, not trend

IN HIS Nov. 21 column on Greenbuild 2008 (" 'Green' building and its discontents," g), Alex Beam presents an uncharacteristically biased vision of sustainable architecture. Contrary to Beam's portrayal of this growing global movement, "green building" is not a fashionable trend with little to no engineering and technical merit. It is a necessity.

Buildings account for 38 percent of US carbon emissions, 40 percent of raw-materials use, and 30 percent of waste output. Any comprehensive attempt to curb climate change needs to acknowledge these facts and transform our approach to construction, old and new.

If green building should be the standard for all buildings, there is one sector where it is a must: schools. Although schools are the largest construction industry in the United States, we still build them with a 20th century vision unfit for the challenges of this century. A green school requires 33 percent less energy, emits 35 percent less carbon, and uses 32 percent less water, saving a district as much as $100,000 a year.

Finally, we cannot forget one other virtue of sustainable building design: its potential for job creation. With unemployment at a 15-year high, it's arrogant to denounce the opportunity to retool America and create millions of good-quality "green" jobs that cannot be outsourced.

Sean S. Miller
Director of education
Earth Day Network
Washington