Building Green May Keep Contractors and Designer Professionals in the Black

Green construction has been gaining traction over the last several years.  What started as a trend has become a movement.  From the design and construction of homes, office buildings, schools, retail centers, neighborhoods and much more, just about any new, or even old, building can become green.  In these tough economic times, that can help put more green in the wallets of contractors and design professionals whose understanding of energy efficient construction is more readily sought.

Green building can mean a lot of different things.  It may be about reducing a building’s or home’s consumption of water, air conditioning or heating, or overall energy use.  It also may involve the use of better natural resources for building materials  It may be about the reduction of heat islands which attract and/or trap heat, or the conversion of brownfields, areas that were polluted but can be restored. There are many categories of green building.  Whatever the goal may be, building green generally involves an integrative effort to create low-impact, sustainable environments.

Contractors and design professionals that are certified by green rating agencies such as LEED can help owners achieve green certification levels.  They must be alert to issues, however, they may arise such projects. For example, there are numerous issues which should be addressed as in the contract phase, including goals, performance specifications, and how the design professionals, contractors, and other trades will coordinate to achieve those goals or specifications.

Green construction is here to stay.  Those that understand what it is about, know how to do it, and know how to navigate green projects, may be better positioned in any economic climate than those who do not.