Making green buildings even greener

As commercial construction continues to rebound, green building trends should gain momentum. A study released by Good Energies Inc., a venture capital company, indicates that green buildings are expected to account for nearly half of non-residential construction by 2015. That is an increase from the current 15 percent, reports The Wall Street Journal.
 
According to Greg Katz, managing director at Good Energies, the cost for non-residential green buildings is about 2 percent more than traditionally constructed buildings. Public misperception is that these green buildings cost 17 percent more than conventional buildings based on a survey by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Katz said the payback time for a green building is three to four years. Over a 20-year period, Katz said a green building’s energy and water savings alone outweigh the increased building costs. Over 2,000 commercial properties are now U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certified.
 

An Increasing Role for Plants
U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system applies to construction related issues including site selection, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources and indoor environmental quality. There are few requirements for building project sites, but this may change with the launch of the Sustainable Sites Initiative.