Report Predicts Oil Spill Will Lead to $100 Billion Spike In Green Building
Report predicts an increase of more than $100 billion in the total U.S. green building market value from 2010 to 2015. Photo: Flickr/susanne anette
A recent Environmental Leader Insights report reveals the commercial green building industry is expected to see growth of 18.1 percent annually – an increase of more than $100 billion in the total U.S. green building market value from 2010 to 2015.
The reason behind the unprecedented hike? The oil spill.
According to the report, “increased awareness of environmental issues such as the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico will drive growth” in commercial and residential green building.
EL predicts that large corporations will take a cue from the public and begin investing in innovative green building materials, driving the force of green building in the commercial sector. A rise in residential green building is expected to follow.
For the American consumer, the benefits go beyond wasteful buildings and efficient architecture. The jump in market value in the green building industry has the potential to create 2.5 million American jobs, which represents about a 30 percent increase in jobs in the construction industry.
In the U.S., buildings account for 40 percent of total American energy consumption, 12 percent of water consumption, 68 percent of electricity consumption and 38 percent of carbon dioxide emissions.
Green building attempts to reduce waste by constructing buildings with high energy and water efficiency. The modern green building is also designed to reduce emissions and environmental erosion.
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As of June 17th 2011 we have upgraded our comment system to use Facebook comments. The below comments are closed and are listed for historical purposes.
Mary
posted on July 8th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
I’m glad to know that some good – in the form of more sustainable building and jobs – can come from the tragedy in the Gulf. Thanks for publishing this.
Janet
posted on July 9th, 2010 at 8:46 am
A small glimpse of what could be a silver lining to this whole situation! Thanks for sharing!
Lynne
posted on July 15th, 2010 at 11:39 am
If a green job replaces a non-green job, how is that creating new jobs? Get rid of a lumberjack and he loses his job, hire a green builder and he gets a job. (-1 +1 = 0) Seems like it just changes the end product…which I’m all for, of course, because I’m a greenie, but I don’t see how it creates a job. Educate me.