EPA Resources for Sustainable Design and Green Building

Pollution Prevention and Innovation Team
U.S. EPA Region 4
r4sustainability@epa.gov

Training for School Administrators/Planners on Public Health and Sustainability Factors in School Siting
The Georgia Conservancy in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council Georgia chapter and Mothers & Others for Clean Air are developing a school siting curriculum for school administrators/planners involved in the site selection for school facilities and in decisions regarding the reuse of existing facilities. This project is being funded by EPA Region 1, 4 and 7. The curriculum is utilizing and integrating EPA’s voluntary school siting guidelines (draft) with information from existing public health, planning, environmental and architectural studies and reports.
Sustainable Design and Green Building Toolkit for Local Governments PDF (92 pp, 15.04 MB, About PDF)
This toolkit assists local governments in identifying barriers to sustainable design within a community’s permitting process by examining those principles that would affect the design, construction, renovation, and operation and maintenance of a building and its immediate site.

You may also download the assessment portion of the Toolkit in Microsoft Excel format. (Excel, 101KB)
Region 4 conducted a webinar training session on the Toolkit in March 2011. Users can view the webinar video (WMV, 85.1MB) or download the transcript (PDF). (17 pp, 133KB, About PDF)

Smart Growth Tools and Publications
Designing communities that promote the perseveration of natural lands and critical environmental areas, protect water and air quality, and reuse already-developed land, is critical to sustainable design. EPA has developed an extensive suite of tools and publications to help communities implement Smart Growth policies and practices.
Smart Growth and Sustainable Preservation of Existing and Historic Buildings Website
R3 Green Preservation Audio Podcast
Southern Symposium on Historic Preservation and Green Building
EPA Regions 4 and 6 in conjunction with the Georgia Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council are planning the first Southern Symposium on Historic Preservation and Green Building in September 2012. Please check back for more information on this exciting event.

Green Building Retrofit for Home Owners or Renters
Whether you are a homeowner, a renter, in the market for a new home, or making home improvements there are many environmental and energy issues at hand. Find ways to add value to your home, reduce energy use and energy costs, fight climate change, and help protect your health.
Resiliency and Climate Adaptation
Implementing holistic sustainable design practices, while considering how to improve a community’s resiliency to natural and man-made disasters, is a key aspect of resiliencey and climate adaptation. Resources List (PDF). (3 pp, 150KB, About PDF)