Video: The Growth of Green Buildings
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This video by the Washington State Department of Ecology provides a good overview of the effects of green building.
Despite the tough economic times, a survey conducted by National Real EstateInvestor in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council showed that sustainability in commercial real estate is rapidly growing.
More than 88% of developers and 86% of corporate executives say theyconsider green design to be as or more important than it was before thecurrent economic slump. In fact, LEED certified projects showed animpressive 47% increase over the previous 12 month period.
Thesebuildings represent 273 million square feet of new construction andmajor renovation on commercial and institutional properties, up from 133 million square feet the previous year. Another 25,608 propertiestotaling approximately 6.3 billion square feet are currently registeredwith the LEED, up from 1.3 billion square feet last year.
A green building changes many aspects of the building’s construction, operating and maintenance. These changes have far reaching implications that both help reduce environmental degradation and provide green jobs.
Richard Matthews is a consultant, sustainable investor, writer and owner of The Green Market Oracle, a leading sustainable business blog that covers the convergence of sustainable capitalism and the global environment.The Green Market is one of the most comprehensive resources for information and tools on sustainability. Follow The Green Market's twitter feed and see the Facebook Fan Page.
Richard is a contributor to more than 50 publications. Find him on Facebook and Linkedin.