The Blue-Collar Green-Building Boom

Few dispute the benefits of green workplaces: They use less energy and water, have lower greenhouse gas emissions, and provide a healthier work environment than conventional buildings. But in the United States, most of the green buildings constructed over the past decade have been primarily white-collar workplaces, including office buildings, schools, and R&D facilities. The greening of blue-collar workplaces, from warehouses to distribution centers to factories, has lagged far behind. That’s beginning to change.