Green Buildings and Building Assessment Systems

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to provide planners with an introduction to the concept of green buildings and building assessment systems and to identify and explore the major themes in the literature as they relate to planning. Six themes are identified: scope, weighting, subjectivity, rigor, adaptation, and life cycle analysis. Planners have begun to develop and implement green building policies and programs, although there is much room for expansion of the role of planning in green building issues. The article concludes by outlining a broad research agenda that can help move the discussion of the role of planning in green building issues forward. Planning needs to take a more assertive role in green buildings to add more comprehensiveness to the issue.