It's Not Easy Being Green

While Wagner3 Ventures flies a Gator orange and blue banner, more and more, the scope of their work is going green, said Ken Wagner, LEED AP.
Building the green way is more than just changing to low-energy light bulbs. The term is used as a general statement that a building uses eco-friendly materials, has low-VOC (offgas) emissions from building supplies, and does not harm the environment in the area where it is built. However, this is a very generic set of standards and the term "green building certification" is constantly evolving.
Green buildings are designed to meet certain objectives such as protecting occupant health, improving employee productivity, using energy, water, and other resources more efficiently, and reducing the overall impact to the environment.
Green construction may include thicker exterior walls, upgraded insulation, energy-efficient appliances, high-efficiency air conditioning and water-conserving landscaping.
Wagner3 uses sustainable materials in flooring and cabinets when possible. They have built using reclaimed wood from second-growth timber.
While a green building may cost more up front, it saves through lower operating costs over the life of the building. Cost savings are most fully realized when they are incorporated at the project's conceptual design phase with the assistance of an integrated team of professionals. 

A "LEED"er in Sustainable Building

LEED Certification and Green Building Certification are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and is a specific, trademarked term that can only be used by LEED-certified professionals and buildings.

In the U.S. and in a number of other countries around the world, LEED certification is the recognized standard for measuring building sustainability. Achieving LEED certification is the best way for a builder to demonstrate that building projects are truly "green." 

The LEED green building rating system -- developed and administered by the U.S. Green Building Council, a Washington D.C.-based, nonprofit coalition of building industry leaders -- is designed to promote design and construction practices that increase profitability while reducing the negative environmental impacts of buildings and improving occupant health and well-being.