What it means to the environment

BOISE -- More states are "going green" by requiring environmentally-friendly standards for most state projects.

The trend is becoming so popular that some lawmakers are considering making green buildings a law.

From office skyscrapers, to factories, to suburban houses, buildings across the country are turning green.

As in energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly.

"The movement is really growing. As more people get interested they're going to require it. They're going to say I'm not going to be in a building that isn't green," said Susan Kaplan, US Green Buildings Council.

- Boise's Banner Building is only the 18th in the world to be awarded with platinum for going green.

- The Hearst Building in New York, with its floor to ceiling windows and automatically adjusting lights. 

- The solar powered headquarters of Google in California.

- The roof gardens atop City Hall in Chicago.

- Even some rebuilt homes in New Orleans are all going green.

"A building that has a lot of daylight, has proper ventilation, that has an efficient heating and cooling system will be nicer to be in.  You'll want to be in it more," said Steven Lenard, The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association.

And in many states, it’s now becoming law.

Right now, 17 states require energy efficiency standards in some or all state construction projects.

An additional eight have incentives that encourage green building, such as fast tracking permits for builders who commit to green standards and some states are even offering up to $10,000 to homeowners who build or renovate energy efficient homes.

"Energy efficiency is something that affects how much oil is used, how much gas is used, how much electricity is used. It also greatly impacts climate change," said Kaplan.

Environmentalists say buildings account for 30 percent of the country's greenhouse gas emissions, 36 percent of its total energy use and 65 percent of its electricity consumption. With those numbers, it's no surprise green has become the latest buzzword.

"One of the main goals is to get to a point where it’s not green building, it's just good building," said Lenard.