More Buildings Go Green
Energy efficient homes might still be the exception, but green building is gaining momentum, according to the U. S. Green Building Council and the National Association of Home Builders.
In fact, green building has become a $12 billion industry, according to USGBC estimates. A decade ago, USGBC says, its value was “negligible.”
A survey of local home building associations shows that more than 97,000 homes have been built and LEED-certified since the mid-1990s using voluntary, builder-supported green building programs nationwide. That’s a 50 percent increase since 2004 when the last survey was conducted, according to NAHB.
And the increase doesn't show any signs of slowing. The U.S. Green Building Council recently welcomed its 10,000th member into the organization, which encompasses builders, universities, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations devoted to green construction.
Both NAHB and USGBC are in the process of developing its own set of standards and guidelines for sustainable residential green construction and to further promote the green industry.
—By Camilla McLaughlin for REALTOR® Magazine Online
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