ANSWERS: 2
  • There are sone tax benefits. Thats depends on the state.
  • "Benefits and Disadvantages The move towards LEED and green building practices has been driven greatly by the tremendous benefits which are a direct result of implementing a green approach. Green buildings use key resources more efficiently when compared to conventional buildings which are simply built to code. LEED creates healthier work and living environments, contributes to higher productivity and improved employee health and comfort. The USGBC has also compiled a long list of benefits of implementing a LEED strategy which ranges from improving air and water quality to reducing solid waste. The fundamental reduction in relative environmental impacts in addition to all of the economic and occupant benefits goes a long way for making a case for green building. It is also important to note that these benefits are reaped by anyone who comes into contact with the project which includes owners, designers, occupants and society as a whole. These benefits do not come without a cost however. Currently within the industry, green buildings cost more to both design and construct when compared to conventional buildings. These increased costs typically represent initial up front costs which are incurred at the start of the project. However, these initial costs increases are greatly overshadowed by the economic gains associated with constructing a LEED certified green building. These economic gains can take the form of anything from productivity gains to decreased life cycle operating costs. Studies have suggested that an initial up front investment of 2% will yield over ten times the initial investment over the life cycle of the building. From this perspective, there is no initial cost. In fact the initial cost is actually an investment. Although the deployment of the LEED Standard has raised awareness of Green Building practices, its scoring system is skewed toward the ongoing use of fossil fuels. More than half of the available points in the Standard support efficient use of fossil fuels, while only a handful are awarded for the use of sustainable energy sources. Further the USGBC has stated support for the 2030 Challenge, an effort that has set a goal of efficient fossil fuel use by 2030. Despite it's broad acceptance, mounting scientific evidence suggests that a more aggressive program of sustainable energy deployment is required to protect the climate, than that promoted by the LEED Standard and the USGBC." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadership_in_Energy_and_Environmental_Design

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