With the status of the earth today, it appears that a serious cure for global warming is urgently needed. Global warming is getting more intense. In order to lessen and delay the effects of global warming, the concept of Green Building came to life.

The Green Building Index is a tool created to assess structures based on their overall environmental impact. It uses six criteria to assess a building’s impact on the environment. The Energy Efficiency category evaluates a building’s overall energy consumption. Buildings with a high energy efficiency rating have reduced energy consumption.

The next category is Indoor Environment Quality. This focuses on the structure’s quality of ventilation and promotes the use of materials made of low volatile organic compounds. This category also includes temperature, thermal comfort and humidity. The third criterion is that of Sustainable Site Planning and Management which focuses on the area where the structure is built, public transportation accessibility, landscaping, storm water and construction management.

Buildings must also meet the Materials and Resources criterion that focuses on efficiency in the waste management and recycling system. The fifth criterion, Water Efficiency, is assessed as to whether the structure has efficient water devices and recycling systems as well as rainwater harvesting. The last criterion is Innovation. This gives attention to how innovative a structure’s overall design is in accordance with the requirements of Green Buildings.

All six criteria have to be met by newly built structures. Many countries around the world have already begun using the Green Building Index in order to lift a bit of the load that the earth is currently facing. The Green Building Index has already been recognized as the most reliable green rating tool for structures to help save the environment and the living things in it.