Building Green in a Black and White World--Chapter 1

The following is an exerpt from the book Building Green in a Black and White World.
Section 1; Chapter 1; Part 3; Trends Relating to Green Building (cont.)

David Ritchey Johnston
January 1, 1900
HousingZone

Part 4 of Trends Related To Green Building

Current Incorporation of Green Building Materials

Survey Used

Environmental Design and Construction Publication Feasibility Study, 1997, 590 respondents. The survey consisted of approximately 45-50% architects, the balance made up of building owners/developers, building contractors, and others. Of the respondents, 333 are subscribers to Environmental Business News and thus have prior interest in green building. The remaining 237 do not necessarily have an interest in green building.

Bar Chart In a study to determine whether there was a market for an Environmental Design and Construction magazine, ED&C found that 94 percent of their respondents were already incorporating aspects or elements in architectural design or construction that could be defined as environmentally considerate. Seventy-six percent of respondents felt this percentage would increase within the next year. More than 75 percent of ED&C respondents reported that 46 percent of their projects include environmentally considerate aspects.

The graph shows that 20 percent of the 521 respondents reported that over 75 percent of the building materials they use are environmentally considerate. This impressive percentage (94 percent) of architects, builders, developers, and others who are already incorporating green designs reveals that a shift has already occurred toward accepting and using environmentally friendly features. Percentage of New Construction

Incorporating Green Features

Survey Used

American Institute of Architects COTE Survey, 1998, 37 respondents, all architects.

Chart 1 When architects were asked what percentage of new construction incorporates green features today, answers varied from .1 percent to 100 percent. The mean figure was 20.3 percent.

These architects are the self-selected members of the AIA Committee on the Environment. A 20 percent market penetration in just a few years shows a tremendous rate of growth from almost no consumer knowledge of green features only five years ago.

Future Demand for Green Building

Survey Used

1. American Institute of Architects COTE Survey, 1998, 37 respondents, all architects.

2. Environmental Design and Construction Publication Feasibility Study, 1997, 590 respondents. The survey consisted of approximately 45-50% architects, the balance made up of building owners/developers, building contractors, and others. Of the respondents, 333 are subscribers to Environmental Business News and thus have prior interest in green building. The remaining 237 do not necessarily have an interest in green building.

Chart 2 Eighty-nine percent of ED&C respondents predict that green building will increase. Seventy-five percent of AIA COTE respondents expect the demand for green building to increase in the near future. While architects on average believe that about 20% of new construction already incorporates green features, 75 percent predict that demand will rise for green building. This information reveals that there is interest in and room for growth for green in the building industry.