Green Building on the Cape & Islands

Green Building

It's easy to use resources more efficiently. It makes a lot of sense. And every little bit helps.

Green Projects To Keep An Eye On

1. CIREC participants are creating a GoGreen Guide to connect consumers with businesses that offer resource-efficient products and services. Click here to start searching.

2. Check out the real-time energy situation at the Woods Hole Research Center's high-performance building: Are its solar and geothermal systems generating more energy than its scientists are consuming? Click here to find out!

3. Watch the nature center grow on staff and visitors at Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Click here to check on the news.

4. Review the state-of-the-art features of the Lorusso Applied Technology Building at Cape Cod Community College, the state's first green building. Visit the CCCC website for info.

5. Follow the build process as the International Federation for Animal Welfare sets its roots and makes a statement. Visit IFAW's website for information.

6. See how many workforce housing units the Cape Light Compact can green up using ratepayer funds. Information to come!

Green buildings respect their surroundings and are comfortable and cost-effective environments in which to live and work. They use energy and water as efficiently as possible. They employ reused, recycled, low-impact, and nontoxic materials, fixtures, furnishings, and finishes. They take advantage of on-site renewable energy sources. And they minimize construction-related waste and disturbance.

Green buildings reflect more than the standard design and engineering framework, which emphasizes functional and aesthetic considerations and up-front costs. They also address issues relating to environmental quality, public health, human performance, operating costs, and sustainability.

Building green may impose a modest up-front premium for new construction and renovation projects. It typically yields substantial reductions in operating costs and, thus, life-cycle costs. Positive effects on the environment and on the health, comfort, and productivity of building occupants also add up.

Local Activities
Several high-profile green buildings have been constructed by institutions on Cape Cod (see box at left), while homes throughout the region are being built to higher standards.

Through the Cape & Islands Renewable Energy Collaborative (CIREC), local organizations and businesses are working to increase the use of green building practices and technologies through consumer education, professional development, workforce training, and policy initiatives:

The Cape & Islands Go Green Guide, a web-based directory, connects consumers with architects, building suppliers, installers, and other businesses offering relevant services and products. It also incorporates tips, how to guides, case studies, and other useful resources.

"Green Home & Business" workshops and displays are held periodically to educate consumers on going green. Check the Sustainable Energy Calendar for upcoming events.

"Shades of Green" workshops are training builders, architects, and other practioners in the latest techniques, technologies, and approaches. Check the Sustainable Energy Calendar for upcoming events.

For more information on the Cape Cod High-Performance Building Group, contact Joan Muller, education coordinator, Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, 508.457.0495 x107.

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Last updated 09.05.07