Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at a 'very high' or 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Green Building

Green buildings are part of the larger practice of smart growth, also known as sustainable design and development, thatoutline of a house in green advocates that the use of natural resources by this generation shall not diminish the capacity of the environment to provide for successive generations. Green building is one of the tools to advance smart growth. A green building is one where the indoor and outdoor (house and landscape setting) environmental qualities have been considered and protected during its design, construction, maintenance and use.

The following fact sheets are intended for homeowners engaged in home construction and remodeling projects. The fact sheets offer an introduction to green building and sources of additional information. You will find there is a lot of information out there. However, almost everyone agrees that homes which are built green are:

  • Energy Efficient
  • Site Responsive
  • Water Conserving
  • Materials Sensitive
  • Healthy

The following fact sheets address some of these attributes:

In addition, the Connecticut Green Building Council (CTGBC) was formed in 2001 with a mission to promote and educate policy makers, the Connecticut construction industry and building owners as well as the financial community of the benefits of these buildings. The CTGBC plans various workshops on green building topics, networking opportunities, educational forums, introductory seminars on green buildings as well as work with the US Green Building Council to hold "LEED" training in Connecticut.

If you have questions or need additional guidance, please contact Kim Trella at 860-424-3234.

Pollution Prevention

Content Last Updated February 2020