It’s becoming a more common question. And, at the same time, a more common practice. “What is a green building?”

The official definition of that would be “the construction of a sustainable or high-performance building.” Translated, it means a building that takes into account all aspects of energy and water conservation, as well as reducing waste before, during and after the building is built. It also is a building that takes into account its occupants’ health and safety.

With far more attention being given to “going green” in all walks of life, it is becoming quite common that building and home developers, as well as buyers, are taking into account all aspects of this environmental initiative.

Several tools and guides have been created to heighten “green awareness” and help manufacturers and consumers make decisions about their current buildings and homes, or future projects.

One such site is the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s “green building” site at www.epa.gov/greenhomes.

The site has extensive information about “green building” with various graphs and informational categories.

For reducing energy use, the website offers a “Home Energy Yardstick” in which consumers can gauge their own energy use and compare it with others. It also recommends various home improvements that can be completed to reduce energy costs.

Water conservation is a key factor, and the site explains and encourages use of water-efficient appliances. It also reveals that there are products now that save water when the tap is on.

Showers represent 17 percent of residential indoor water use, the site reports, and that results in 1.2 trillion gallons of water usage each year. A high-efficiency showerhead fixture can save up to 25 to 60 percent of the water used during showers in the home, so the site recommends installation of a showerhead with flow rates of less than 2.5 gallons per minute. Most showerheads made prior to 1995 flow at more than 5 gallons per minute.

When building a home, there is an array of recycled products available, from drywall and insulation to plastic lumber and carpet padding.

The site also shares several ideas on reducing waste when involved in a remodeling, demolition or new construction project.

In addition, the site reminds us of the impact that building and development can have on our natural resources, including:

*According to surveys conducted in 2002, 107.3 million acres of the 1.983 billion acres of total land area in the U.S. is developed, which represents an increase of 24 percent in developed land over the past 10 years.

*In terms of energy, buildings accounted for 39.4 percent of total U.S. energy consumption and 67.9 percent of total U.S. electricity consumption in 2002.

*Building occupants use 12.2 percent of the total water consumed in the U.S. per day.

*Buildings, and the transportation infrastructure that serves them, replace natural surfaces with impermeable materials, creating runoff that washes pollutants and sediments into surface waters. Urban runoff constitutes a major threat to water resources, as it has been identified as the fourth leading source of impairment in rivers, third in lakes, and second on estuaries.