With increasing numbers of consumers becoming more environmentally conscious in their purchasing behavior, environmental practices are a decisive factor in the real estate sector. Reconciling the seemingly opposing goals of improving the environment and providing the needed infrastructure to support economic growth is the origin of the sustainable green building concept. This concept is simply about being mindful of the potential impact that the design, construction, and operation of commercial buildings will have on the environment and devising innovative strategies to mitigate or eliminate these impacts. This means changing the traditional process of designing buildings and their construction and operation, as well as the integration of emerging trends in many technology fields into buildings. The Sustainability Building Standards and Guidelines contains information intended as minimum standards for designing, constructing, and equipping sustainable mixed-use buildings. Insofar as practical, these standards relate to desired performance or results or both. Sustainable green buildings are as much about construction as they are about design. The book includes a description of the special design features, construction processes, the systems of operation and maintenance, and the interrelationships of these various functions. Increasingly, staying competitive means building owners / property developers, designers, manufacturers, and contractors are focused on achieving increasingly environmentally friendly and energy-efficient buildings with the ultimate goal of producing environmentally and energy-neutral buildings.