Social Equity

Image: Weber Thompson

Social equity in the built environment requires careful attention to justice and fairness. In the building world, social equity involves three main concerns:

  • Who is on the project team? Is it a diverse, inclusive group?

  • Who is consulted in the design process? Have people in the neighborhood been asked—and listened to—about their needs and concerns?

  • Who makes the products and materials used in construction, and who is actually installing them? Are these people fairly treated, equitably paid, and provided with appropriate workplace protections?

Learn here about how to consider social equity throughout your process, from site selection to product selection.

Social Equity

Deep Dives

Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.

    Loading...

  • Greening Your Electricity

    Feature Article

    Many businesses and homeowners are choosing to buy green power, including renewable energy credits (RECs). This article examines the environmental benefits of green power, including on-site renewables, what REC buyers should know about their purchases, and investing in energy conservation.

  • Wal-Mart: Every Day Low... Impact?

    Feature Article

    The world's largest company claims to have embraced environmental responsibility in everything from its supply chains to its waste stream, with goals of creating a prototype store with 30% lower greenhouse gas emissions within four years and doubling trucking efficiency within ten years. But how big a difference can the shift make, and is it enough?

  • Mitigating Disasters: Invest Now, Spend Less Later

    Feature Short

    Mitigation saves money, buildings, and lives, according to a FEMA-funded National Institute of Building Sciences study.

  • How Six Affordable Housing Projects Got to Green

    Feature Short

    Stories of designers and developers who overcame the challenges of building affordable housing that is also green, sustainable, and healthy.

Quick Takes

Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.

  • Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
  • Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop.
  • You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.

Product Guidance

Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.

  • Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
  • Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop.
  • You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.

In The News

We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.

Perspective

Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.

  • Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
  • Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop.
  • You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.

Learning Resources

A wide range of education options, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.

  • Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
  • Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop.
  • You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.

Just For Fun

Something weird happens every April at BuildingGreen...

  • Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
  • Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop.
  • You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.