According to this study (2.15mb PDF), produced by the Commission
for Environmental Cooperation, sustainable construction could be
a fast, cheap path to cutting global carbon emissions. The study
evaluated the impact of North American buildings on the
environment, and came up with the following: In Canada,
buildings are responsible for: - 33 % of all energy used; - 50 %
of natural resources consumed; - 12 % of non-industrial water
used; - 25 % of landfill waste generated; - 10 % of airborne
particulates produced; and - 35 % of greenhouse gases emitted. -
17 % of all energy used; - 25 % of all electricity used; - 20 %
of all carbon dioxide emissions; - 5 % of potable water
consumption; and - 20 % of the waste generated. - 40 % of total
energy use; - 12 % of the total water consumption; - 68 % of
total electricity consumption; - 38 % of total carbon dioxide
emissions; and - 60 % of total non-industrial waste generation.
What’s the bottom line? Simple energy improvements in new and
existing buildings could reduce