Awareness in the building community has increased as to how building design, construction and operation affects the natural and human environment. Consumers have also begun to expect builders to be more sensitive to those effects.

The term 'green building' refers to the philosophy of environmentally sensitive building practices, also known as 'sustainable construction.' In 1987, the Brundtland Commission on the Environment provided a good working definition for sustainable practices, describing the concept as 'meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.' Homes constructed using the green building concept typically involve fewer wastes, less energy consumption, less pollution, less natural habitat loss and better indoor air quality.