The State Of The Green Building Movement
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Recently here at GBET we have been discussing green building and the economy and more specifically green building and ROI. As an advisory board member of Build2Sustain I am very hopeful that green building will continue to prosper through increased transparency. A recent article posted on Reuters and published by GreenBiz focuses on a report released by Rob Watson. The report makes several interesting findings which if accurate are truly exciting and emphasize the need for attorneys, contractors, and developers to begin participating in green projects before they are left behind. Among the key findings of the report:
The estimate of reduced vehicle miles traveled (VMT) has grown to 780 million VMT to date versus 400 million in 2008. By 2030, the annual gasoline savings are expected to equal current U.S. imports from the Middle East.
• Total water savings from LEED through 2009 is estimated at 15 billion gallons, comprising 0.5% of annual non-residential water use. By 2030, LEED results in nearly 1.3 trillion gallons of saved water, equivalent to 30% of current annual non-residential water use.
• Annual carbon dioxide savings from LEED buildings is approximately 2.9 million tons from energy efficiency and renewables, a figure that is expected to grow to 130 million tons per year by 2020 and almost 320 million tons annually by 2030.
• Based on average materials costs, green building materials represented approximately $7 billion in cumulative spending through 2009, which is expected to reach a cumulative $230 billion by 2030. Moreover, the embodied energy in buildings that are renovated instead of demolished is expected to save as much energy in 2030 as we import this year from Saudi Arabia. In addition, an average of over 60% of construction and demolition waste was diverted from LEED projects, totaling 25 million tons to date.
• An average of at least 580,000 employees are currently enjoying improved indoor environments in LEED buildings at present, and the "green building workforce" is expected to approach 29 million by 2020 and almost 64 million by 2030. The productivity benefits from LEED buildings to date range from $230 to $450 million.
As the United States continues to participate in climate change discussions and to contemplate implementing a carbon trading system through legislative efforts in Washington the estimated carbon dioxide savings from a green building could become even more important in the future. If you are not currently participating in green projects I encourage you to do so. Further, if you are afraid of participating in green projects I would love to hear your reasons.
Climate change is a hotly debated issue with some individuals proclaiming it is absolute and undeniable and others refusing to believe in its existence. Whether or not you believe in climate change is a personal decision but pollution such as carbon dioxide affects our environment in more ways than one.Pollution from both point sources such as power plants and industrial facilities as well as from mobile sources such as cars, planes, and boats undeniably changes our natural environment for the worst. The pollutants released by these sources include Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Ozone, and Particulate Matter which as well as numerous other chemicals. The EPA under the Clean Air Act was required to establish 
