History of Green Design
There are many examples of green design in ancient structures as they were forced to address the environment in the design and placement of their dwellings, although modern green design began in earnest in the early 1970s when it became evident that building materials like asbestos were full of health hazards.
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History
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Ancient Romans practiced green design when they faced their doorways and windows to the south and used mica and glass around them as a form of solar heat.
Time Frame
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Toxins in chemicals contained in common building materials began to be exposed after the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts were passed in 1970 and 1972, respectively.
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Effects
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Awareness of green design techniques like green roofs and solar electricity grew in the 1970s with the escalating price of Middle East oil driving energy costs up.
Prevention/Solution
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The Environmental Protection Agency came out with its Energy Star rating in 1992. Energy Star is a labeling program "designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," according to the EPA.
Considerations
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The U.S. Green Building Council introduced the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program in 1998. This system "encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria," according to the USGBC.
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