The Emergence of Green Building Standards and Codes

By Tim Serie

Green building is here to stay. Gone are the days when green building was viewed as merely a cutting-edge, progressive phenomenon, affecting only a few of the most environ­mentally friendly building projects. It is now fully incorporated into mainstream thought in the construction industry and is having a widespread influence. As green building programs flourish, they represent a fundamental change for the building and construction industry. This, in turn, signifies a difference in how paint and coatings are not only regulated, but how these products are evaluated, compared, specified, and selected. This article pro­vides a background, outlining how the green building market is expanding and where it is evolving from voluntary programs to mandatory code requirements. Discussion on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, the most prominent green building standard in the United States, will be woven in throughout. Also highlighted are emerging trends in this space-especially those that directly affect the paint and coat­ing industry-such as the concept of healthy buildings and radical transparency.