According to USGBC, buildings take up______of carbon emissions in the U.S. [orig

As the climate change debate rages, smart businesses are quietly studying its effects on our future lifestyle. High on the agenda is building more sustainable spaces for us to live and work in. According to the United States Green Building Council(USGBC), buildings account for more than a third of carbon emissions in the U.S. and consume 70 percent of the electricity load. By 2015, they estimate 15 million new buildings will have gone up in the United States. The "green build" movement has been around since the 1970s but it is increasingly gaining momentum. Bringing down the costs may be one of the catalysts for the green build movement but legislation will be the biggest driver. In Germany, the government brought in a very effective legislation to boost green architecture. Climate change and fuel prices are forcing the government to take action. The green build wave is not characterized by an aesthetic but characterized by a concern for the environment.