Register Now for EPA’s
Green Building Symposium |
July 17-19: Why Build Green
By Tiana Ramos
And it’s live! Links to the event information and registration in Philadelphia, Chicago and New York are now available for EPA’s “Applying Green Building Research Today” symposium. Regional EPA offices as well as the Office of Research and Development and the Office of Science Policy are looking forward to the event as they invite the last guests and tie the end knots!
What’s going on?
In case you missed the first blog post, EPA will host its “Applying Green Building Research Today” symposium July 17-19 in Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York City, with the Big Apple taking the spotlight on the afternoon of July 19. Participants can view (online or in-person) presentations from green building experts on a variety of themes from the economics of building green to discussions of practical technological tools.
Why is building green important?
Buildings use excessive amounts of energy, accounting for 39 percent of total energy use in the United States and 68 percent of nationwide electricity consumption. Buildings pollute outdoor and indoor environments. According to the UN, the building sector is the largest contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. And indoor pollutant levels can be two to five times higher than outdoor levels. This isn’t summery news for a New Yorker spending over 90 percent of their time indoors. If that’s not convincing enough, you can click here for more information.
“Green building” reduces and optimizes energy use in buildings that can improve the state of indoor and outdoor environments and provide the necessary health and comfort for residents.
What does a green building look like?
Building green can be well-installed faucets and insulated windows to state-of-the-art structures costing in the millions. Building green does not always mean building something entirely new and futuristic. For example, New York City can still maintain its cultural and historic architecture by simply retrofitting centuries-old buildings so they won’t overheat in the summer. Green construction methods can be integrated into buildings at any stage, from design and construction, to renovation and deconstruction.
Register above to learn more about green buildings and tune in for continual updates on EPA’s Green Building Symposium to learn what it takes to build green. Further questions or comments can be directed to ramos.tiana@epa.gov. EPA would love to hear your feedback to better integrate green building concepts into your work!
About the author: Tiana is an EPA GRO (Greater Research Opportunities) Fellow interning in New York City. She is working on outreach and research for the Green Building Symposium “Applying Green Building Research Today.” She is obtaining her BA in Environmental Studies and Economics at Wellesley College. Her specific interest is sustainability-building in the U.S. territories of Guam and Puerto Rico. To follow the progress of the symposium, tune in to updated blog posts by her and her team members
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.