The Wood User's Guide to Green Building - California Redwood ...

Introduction — Wood for a Cooler PlanetCalifornia is gagaover green buildings.The concept, not the color.Since the turn of the century, interest has explodedin creating more environmentally sound, energyefficient and water-saving structures. And thedesire to build green is growing exponentially.Some potential homebuyers are attracted togreen because it’s the right thing to do – andothers are attracted to the savings they get onheating and water bills, among other things.Much of the focus on building green today centerson commercial development and governmentbuildings. These structures consume considerableresources and many governments have seizedthe opportunity to position themselves asenvironmental leaders. Residential constructionappears to be the next frontier. Home builders areincreasingly featuring green attributes and greenlabels in marketing efforts.The United States Department of Energy says thatAmerica’s 81 million buildings6