Rapid Expansion in "Green" Building & Landscaping Predicted for 2007
Author Jerry Yudelson, one of the country's top experts in the "green" building phenomenon and chair of the industry's annual Greenbuild conference, has released his predictions for growth in the industry in the coming year.
In the landscape design area, Yudelson told Garden Design Online that "green roofs represent an emerging mega-phenomenon." Despite their cost of $10 to $20 per square foot, he believes there will be a 100 percent increase in green roof projects in 2007 over 2006. "As the idea catches on," he says, "designers and vendors will get the systems in place to deliver them effortlessly." The city of Chicago already has over 200 green roofs, and Yudelson says that US cities will soon be competing for the title of "Green Roof" capital.
In addition, landscape architects and designers will see more calls for constructed wetlands, including those for stormwater management, and in some cases, for wastewater management. According to Yudelson, "look for more projects with pervious paving, constructed wetlands, bioswales, composting filters in storm drains, detention and retention ponds, all to provide natural habitat and water system management on-site." 2007 will see a 100 percent increase in these types of projects, and the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system for neighborhood development will also spur new "green" projects as it rolls out a pilot program early this year.
Among Yudelson's other predictions:
The US Green Building Council's (USGBC) new "LEED for homes" standard will be unveiled this year, with more than 5000 homes registered in the program within six months.
Green homebuilding will soar, due to pent-up demand by buyers who want energy-efficient homes and builders who want an edge in the homebuilding marketplace. The Federal $2000 per home tax credit for energy-saving homebuilding through the end of 2009 should be a strong incentive.
More than 50 additional cities will enact some form of green building ordinance, as more cities sign on to the US Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement.
More than 10 additional states will enact green building programs. Fifteen states already have such programs, and "because of the Democratic takeover of several governorships and state legislatures, these actions will likely occur in the first half of 2007."
The number of LEED accredited professionals (LEED APs) will grow by at least 15 percent, for a total of more than 38,000 by the end of the year.
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