Key points
- Sustainable building design and construction can improve the health and safety of construction and maintenance workers, building occupants, and demolition specialists.
- NIOSH Construction collaborates with partners to increase the use of green, sustainable construction practices.
Overview
Builders and designers interested in creating safe and sustainable commercial and residential buildings face many challenges in the United States.
The NIOSH Construction program collaborates with partners to increase the use of sustainable building designs and construction practices that reduce hazards. These practices should occur during all the stages of a building:
- Pre-design
- Design
- Construction
- Occupancy and maintenance
- Demolition
Green Construction
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines green construction as "the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life cycle from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and deconstruction. Green building is also known as a sustainable or high-performance building."
In 2011, 71% of construction businesses reported using at least one green technology or practice. More than half of the businesses were working on:
- Improving energy efficiency within their establishments
- Reducing waste material creation.
Safety and health impacts
Occupational and environmental health can benefit each other by practitioners working collaboratively.
Most of the rating systems for building environmental, energy or sustainable quality address some aspects of occupational health. However, what they address is limited and does not specifically address safety. None of the rating systems for building environmental, energy and/or sustainable quality categories directly mentions:
- Construction safety.
- Operations safety.
- Maintenance worker safety.
It is possible to integrate occupational health and safety into design so that the following groups can be safe and healthy:
- Workers in construction and maintenance.
- Building occupants.
- Demolition specialists.
Spotlight
Integrating LEED training and worker safety
The U.S. Green Building Council pilot credit: "Prevention through Design":
Prevention through Design LEED BD C: New Construction | v3 – LEED 2009
Prevention through Design LEED BD C: Core and Shell | v4 – LEED v4