Although the idea of environmentally conscious building is as old as architecture itself, people tend to associate the concept with a lifestyle radically different from the mainstream. Green building is, however, a growing trend and does not have to mean living in a cave or building with hay bales. Even large-scale developers of residential homes are leaning toward more environmentally sound habitats with Energy Star-qualified homes that are at least 30% more energy efficient than homes built to the 1993 national Model Energy Code. The idea is that anyone can contribute to conserving natural resources and promoting healthier living spaces because even a series of small efforts will add up to significant improvement.
In looking at the effects of environmentally conscious building on adhesive selection, it makes sense to turn to California. California has, from the beginning, been the leader in air-quality improvement efforts by passing the nation&'s first comprehensive clean air act in the 1950s, followed by the first volatile organic compound (VOC) regulations in 1986.