Green Building Facts

The construction market accounts for 14.2% of the $10 trillion U.S. GDP.
(Source: 2006 DOE Buildings Energy Databook).

U.S. Green Building Council Membership

• 11,267 member organizations, including corporations, governmental agencies, nonprofits and others from throughout the industry
• 91,000 actively engaged individuals
• Since 2000, USGBC's membership has increased ten-fold

LEED® Green Building Rating System™

• LEED for new construction was first released in 2000
• LEED became available for commercial interiors/tenant improvements and existing buildings/operation and maintenance in 2004; LEED for core & shell became available in July 2006; LEED for homes and LEED for neighborhood development are currently in pilot test
• Square feet of commercial building space registered or certified: 4 billion

• There are LEED projects in all 50 states and 41 countries
• Owners of LEED-registered and certified projects represent a diverse crosssection of the industry
• Project types of all LEED-registered and certified projects by square footage:

Education & Accreditation

• LEED workshop attendance: 56,011
• LEED Accredited Professionals: 39,636
• Greenbuild Attendees 2006: 13,382

Size and Impact of the U.S. Built Environment

• Represents 20% of U.S. economy
  Source: National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National science and Technology Council: Construction Industry Statistics, 1995
• Comprises 14.2% of the $10 trillion U.S. GDP. This includes all commercial, residential, industrial and infrastructure construction. Commercial and residential building construction constitutes 9% of the GDP.
  Source: 2006 U.S. DOE Buildings Energy Databook

Energy Consumption

• Buildings represent 39% of U.S. primary energy use (includes fuel input for production)
  Source: 2003 U.S. DOE Buildings Energy Databook.

Electricity Consumption

• Buildings represent 70% of U.S consumption
  Source: 2003 U.S. DOE Buildings Energy Databook

Water Use

• Buildings use 12.2% of all potable water, or 15 trillion gallons per year
  Source: U.S. Geological Service, 1995 data.

Materials Use

• Buildings use 40% of raw materials globally (3 billion tons annually)
  Source: Lenssen and Roodman, 1995, "Worldwatch Paper 124: A Building Revolution: How Ecology and Health Concerns are Transforming Construction," Worldwatch Institute.

Waste

• The EPA estimates that 136 million tons of building-related construction and demolition (C&D) debris was generated in the U.S. in a single year.
  Source: U.S. EPA Characterization of Construction and Demolition Debris in the United States, 1997 Update.
• Compare that to 209.7 million tons of municipal solid waste generated in the same year.
  Source: U.S. EPA Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in the United States, 1997 Update. Report No. EPA530-R-98-007

Information provided by the U.S. Green Building Council.