Former USGBC board member, current chairman of Greenbuild, and author of Marketing Green Buildings and Developing Green, Jerry Yudelson, offers some 2007 green building predictions in the latest edition of Consulting-Specifying Engineer. (Image used with permission of Cristalier.com).
First, Yudelson believes that by the end of 2007, the cumulative number of LEED certifications will exceed 1,000 for the first time. (At the end of 2005, the number stood at 350, and at the end of 2006, 670). He also predicts that the cumulative number of LEED registrations, under all systems (excluding LEED for Homes), will pass 10,000. When LEED-H is introduced this summer, Yudelson expects that 5,000 homes will register within its first six months.
What drew my attention, in particular, was Yudelson’s assessment of the prognosis for LEED municipal legislation and his estimate that at least 50 more cities will incorporate LEED into their respective building codes. Yudelson also expects at least 10 additional states to adopt numerous types of green building incentive programs, particularly in California and Oregon, where green-leaning governors were re-elected last November.
Out of those 50 additional cities, how many will strictly incorporate LEED and “automatically adopt any future versions [of it] promulgated by USGBC” (This language is taken from Babylon, New York’s Local Law No. 40 of 2006, mandating LEED for public and private development of over 4,000 square feet, effective November 8, 2006)? Or will those municipalities engage in meaningful dialogue about whether there are risks inherent with legislating a constantly evolving, and constructively criticized, purportedly voluntary building standard into law, and instead consider creating their own green building standards, or opt to rely on standards from organizations other than USGBC?
In my opinion, this will be one of the more important developments in green building this year, and I'm curious what the final count will be at the end of 2007 in terms of how many municipalities end up incorporating LEED versus some other standard.
- Green Building Consultant Makes 2007 Industry Predictions (Consulting-Specifying Engineer)
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No question in my mind about
No question in my mind about the ramped up adoption of green building as the "right way" to build. If the City of St. Louis (which as a market is usually 5-7 years behind the national curve) has begun embracing the approach (an ordinance directing the Board of Public Service to adopt LEED certification for all newly constructed and renovated city-owned facilities is up for a vote and is expected to pass), surely the rest of the nation will be bear-hugging it. For our part, as a company we've committed 100% -- every home we build will be green certified.
Jason Stone
Sage Homebuilders, LLC
St. Louis, MO
http://www.SageSTL.com
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