Sustainability

The places where we live, work, shop, and play affect human health and the natural environment. How and where construction and development occurs can affect energy use, outdoor and indoor air quality, ecosystem quality and services, and natural and animal habitat protection. EPA programs and resources help states and communities achieve economic and environmental benefits through green building principles and smart growth and by preserving open space and farmland. EPA's new Energy Star home certification promotes greener and more efficient household construction. EPA works with officials, designers, planners, and citizen groups so that communities can balance development and environmental protection - accommodating growth while preserving open space and critical habitat, revitalizing and reusing land, and protecting water supplies and air quality.