When the U.S. Green Building Council - Missouri Gateway Chapter opened in 2001, there was just one "green" building n the St. Louis region.

Now, 10 years later, there are 85 commercial buildings and 65 residential buildings which are certified as green by the building council. The St. Louis region includes St. Louis city and county, Metro East in Illinois, and St. Charles County.

These buildings were designed and built for better energy savings, water efficiency, carbon dioxide reduction and improved indoor environmental quality. The goal is not only a better building environment, but to save money on energy and water efficiency.

"The interest is definitely growing," said Emily Andrews, 37, executive director of the Missouri Gateway Chapter. "More people see the advantages of green construction."

The non-profit Green Building Council also offers Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. Developed in the mid-1990s, it is one of the most common certification standards used in the world.

Andrews took some time to discuss the council. Its work is to educate home and commercial builders on the advantages of going green. The Missouri Gateway Chapter is one of 70 chapters in the country.

Question: The Missouri Gateway Chapter is 10 years old. Is the green movement for building construction catching on or is there some resistance?

Answer: There's growing interest in green buildings. When I started in 2006, we were in a building bubble. Home construction was going gangbusters and commercial property was popping. Going green was one way to differentiate yourself. There's always some resistance to something new.

Q: Can saving money on energy costs be a main motivator to go green?

A: I think so. As a cultural thing, Americans are resistant to paying high up-front construction costs. When you go green, that's what you do. In the long term, though, you'll save money.

There's also a lot of motivation for the health and safety of the occupants. A lot of businesses go green because they believe that people work better with lots of daylight and high air quality without any asthma triggers.

Q: Fees for LEED certification can range from several hundred to thousands of dollars, depending on the building size. Can that be too much for some people?

A: It's a third-party verification system. People have to come in and look it over and there's paperwork involved. It's not necessary to have a certification, but it can be a selling point for the property.

Q: When looking at the green movement in general, a lot of people think of hippies and activists. Can that image change or is a generational thing?

A: I think the image is changing. You'd be surprised who's at our meetings. The people are enthusiastic about change, but they work within the construction industry. These are business people making business decisions. They wear suits and ties.

As for kids in kindergarten through high school, they will grow up thinking green is something expected.

Q: Is there resistance because people don't like being told what to do in their own homes, like changing incandescent light bulbs for fluorescent bulbs?

A: The problem was that the quality was not good at the beginning. The light wasn't what people were used to. Now, it has changed and the bulbs have gotten better. You go to Home Depot and there's almost an aisle filled with fluorescent bulbs.

Q: How did you get involved in the Green Building Council?

A: I've always worked for non-profit environmental groups. I was in the Girl Scouts, which has a strong environmental ethic. My family and I also did a lot of hiking, fishing and camping.

Q: Can it be frustrating trying to convince people about going green?

A: There's always frustration with any kind of job. Sometimes I forget that at the office, I'm surrounded by the chorus. You can forget that not everybody agrees with you.

Q: Do you enjoy your work?

A: Absolutely. I work with some great people. There's only two paid staffers in the Gateway Chapter. The rest are volunteers.