One of the most significant developments in building design and construction in the last 10 to 15 years has been the increasingly high profile of green buildings. The history of environmentally responsible building design and construction, and in particular of concerns for energy efficiency, dates back to the 1960s. More recent developments differ from earlier green buildings in the range of environmental issues addressed and in the variety of building types to which green building strategies have been applied.

Although it is likely that the overall impact of green design will be positive in terms of reducing the environmental impacts of buildings, concerns have been raised about possible negative impacts on durability and performance that may result from the application of particular green building strategies.

The goal of the study was to determine the direct or indirect impact on the durability of the building enclosure from tailoring design to achieve a “green” certification.