Designer pinpoints trends in green building

Sustainable Industries

"The term green-collar job has not yet been clearly defined, but it should also include manufacturing of green products and materials, research and development of the same, and green professional and trade skills related to the green economy."

Sustainable Industries: Designer Pinpoints Trends in Green Building

Green Building Saves Green.....

A new study "evaluated 27 affordable housing developments (containing a total of 1,640 homes) that have been built in accordance with the criteria, which establish standards similar to LEED. Researchers found that while building to green specifications costs an extra $4.52 per square foot, or $4,524 per house, on average, the lifetime energy and water savings from such upgrades amounts to $5.43 per square foot, or $4,851 per house. In other words, green has ROI (Return on Investment). The eco-friendly projects in the study were estimated to have a 17% internal rate of return, with green building costs typically recouped within eight years."