Healthy Buildings: Green Building Standards, Benefits, and Incentives

In 1984, the World Health Organization released a report suggesting that up to 30% of new and remodeled buildings worldwide may be linked to symptoms of sick building syndrome. About a decade later, the green building movement began in the U.S. While many viewed the movement’s primary focus as minimizing the impact of buildings on the natural environment, the movement also focused on promoting healthy work environments. This article discusses what makes a building “green,” and how being “green” often means being healthy. It also discusses how the green building movement is being bolstered by policy and by the benefits attributable to green design and operations.