Greening Our Built World: Costs, Benefits, and Strategies

(Island Press) This book documents the costs as well as the financial, health, and social benefits of green buildings, which are commonly thought too expensive to transition from an environmentally motivated niche to cost-conscious mainstream. With financial and technical analyses of 170 green buildings and a range of residential communities, the author evaluates the cost-effectiveness of green technologies, “green community development,” and green health care buildings. He also provides the results of the first-ever survey of green buildings constructed by faith-based organizations. Kats is senior director and director of climate change policy at Good Energies, a global clean energy investment firm.   He is a principle author of Green Office Buildings: a Practical Guide to Development.