"Green building is at the nexus of creating jobs, saving energy, and saving money”
Courtesy Architectural Record March 4, 2009
Over the last decade, the green building industry has risen on the tide of a culture-wide trend toward sustainability, and many believe it will continue to prosper. In fact, some believe that the current state of our economic environment will only enhance the value of doing green.
And many reports and studies seem to confirm this hunch, including the 2009 report by McGraw-Hill Construction, which found that the green building market “seems to be somewhat insulated” from the construction slump. Reasons cited for the market’s stability include increased awareness that green buildings are often cheaper to operate, and governmental policies that promote or even mandate eco-friendly features.
The green building movement has much to offer President Barack Obama, who has made it clear that sustainability is central to his agenda. Jason Hartke, the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) director of advocacy and public policy, believes that “proposals around green building can be extremely attractive,” he says, “because green building is at the nexus of creating jobs, saving energy, and saving money”—three priorities for the Obama administration. The USGBC is advocating specific efforts that include greening federal facilities and weatherizing low-income homes. “Every million dollars invested in weatherization creates 52 jobs,” says Hartke. Many think the President’s recently enacted $787 billion economic stimulus plan will deliver a boost to the green building industry, particularly in regards to infrastructure and building-modernization projects.
A focus on retrofitting, rather than new construction, is likely to be one way in which the recession affects the green building movement. The recession may also alter the kinds of green features and methods trade pros and consumers choose to employ. While strategies like natural ventilation should not be affected, high-cost features like photovoltaics may become less common. Consumers will also continue to invest in products that offer rapid payback, such as air-sealing the home with insulation/air barrier products like Icynene® that can cut their energy bills in half. Energy savings can be seen in as little as one month.
Fluctuating energy prices and uncertainty about the economy¹s future notwithstanding, there is a general feeling among industry professionals that the recession will prove more beneficial than harmful to the green building movement. Initiatives such as the 2030 Challenge, which advocates for carbon neutrality in all new buildings by the year 2030, will continue to gain steam and drive innovation in green materials and construction.