Heard on the floor at West Coast Green
Green building is demand led--consumers want it, and are getting smart about spending their construction budgets in a green way. The range of materials--countertops, paints, flooring, carpets--mean that a lot of options are available that say "green"--giving the people what they want.
Materiality was the major advance in this show--that and the understanding that green building is an easy choice. Suppliers are scrambling to fill the gap. It used to cost more to build green, prices now seem at par with custom home prices.
Standards are in flux--degrees of greenness abound--LEED for Homes and Build It Green are the two big ones.
Momentum is impressive, and understanding of what it means to be green--without materially compromising what is important--is occurring.
Press coverage has been ample--increasing both understanding and demand.
Next steps? Getting banks on board with green mortgages, and jurisdictions requiring energy upgrades at time of sale.
My action item? Getting much better at practicing sustainable real estate development.
