Boca Raton favors more green construction

The city of Boca Raton is joining many other cities around the nation as it encourages developers to increase the construction of green buildings.

This according to an article from The Palm Beach Post, "Boca mulling incentives for an eco-friendly building," which talks about Boca Raton's Deputy Mayor Susan Whelchel efforts to help the environment with the building of such structures.

In order for a building to be officially considered "green," it must fulfill the standards established under the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System. This system was designed by The US Green Building Council (USGBC), a national coalition of members from every sector of the construction industry that seeks to "promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work."

Among the techniques used to make a green building , such as the one shown, are:

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  The use of organic or milk-based paints.
• The use of recycled materials.
• The use of packed gravel for parking lots instead of concrete or asphalt.
• The usage of materials manufactured near the building site so as to reduce the environmental impact of long-distance transportation.
• The installation of insulated glass windows and solar panels.
• The presence of wildflower or native plant gardens.

There are also many benefits attributed to green buildings, among them:

• Higher employee productivity.
• Improved health and increased sense of happiness among tenants.
• Lower energy and water bills.
• Less greenhouse gas emissions.
• Less impact on the environment overall.