Green design gains momentum

Investments in green building should be a top priority for owners, corporations and real-estate investors, according to an article by Charles Lockwood in the December 25 edition of Barron’s, a New York City-based weekly financial magazine. Lockwood is an environmental and real-estate consultant based in Santa Monica, Calif., and New York City.

“Trillions of dollars of commercial property … will soon become obsolete and will drop in value,” Lockwood said in the article. The projected downfall is a result of “a significant real-estate market shift [that] is gathering momentum: Green buildings … are going mainstream,” Lockwood said.

The U.S. Green Building Council recognizes energy-efficient projects with its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification. Glass and glazing act as integral part of LEED certification—high-performance, low-emissivity glass boosts ratings, as well as infiltration of natural lighting.

As of December, 669 projects had received certification, with almost 5,000 buildings awaiting ratings. The USGBC estimates that 5 percent of new commercial construction for 2006 will be LEED certified, according to the article.

To read the full article, click here.

Check out the Green Building section of www.glassmagazine.net to learn more about LEED in the glass industry.