Green design is not merely the use of energy-efficient materials nor are green building materials the substitute for moss heap hung building. It involves the creation of products and systems that leave a light footprint on the environment over the full life cycle - from production to transportation, installation, use and renewal. As such, sustainable green design should be thought of as a process, not just a goal - allowing for a broader evaluation of the environmental, economical and societal impacts of product, as single units and as part of their environment.

So what green building materials really are?
Green building materials are composed of renewable, rather than nonrenewable resources. Green materials are environmentally responsible because impacts are considered over the life of the product. (Spiegel and Meadows, 1999). Depending upon project-specific goals, an assessment of green materials may involve an evaluation of one or more of the criteria listed below.

Once you know what green building materials are the next step automatically will be the basic criteria for their selection.