Engineering...Beyond the Classroom

First the term "green" is being added to material and methods as a selling point, since there is no regulation or code on what "green" is, unlike programs like Energy Star. Its like going to the market and buying fruit that is "naturally grown" and your probably paying a premium on the exact same "unnatural" fruit displayed right beside it.

Manufacturers and contractors recognize a good selling term when they see it and have developed the "green" adjective into a selling plan to the less informed, but it doesn't have a definition behind it.

Second if you have two buildings side by side and are exactly the same except one is built under code compliant practices and the other is built under green construction practices. Which one is a buyer going to buy? Answer, the one that cost the least amount of money.

Developers and Owners both know this and when it comes to building spec (speculation) houses, they are only going to build houses the know they can sell.

We have made marvelous advancements in pollution control, automobile technology, and microelectronics. Unfortunately we construct buildings with engineering techniques and codes developed in the 1940's and other than a few improvements remain pretty much the standard.

Right, but who enforces it?

I would like to see a strong program to convert frames and bodies of old used cars into metal studs for home and business structures. The world is full of CARcases, and there will be even more when the new electric cars start replacing the old infernal combustion units.