Jean Lupinacci, director of the Commercial and Industrial Branch in the Climate Protection Partnerships Div. at EPA

Don’t Forget the EE in Green

Standards for green consider a number of factors, including recycled and renewable materials, water savings, indoor air quality, siting and energy efficiency (EE). Yet, upon closer look, many buildings touted as green may be no more—and perhaps even less—energy efficient than their browner neighbors. The terms ‘sustainable’ and ‘high-performance’ offer no stronger guarantees of energy efficiency for buildings.