construction

While cork flooring and bamboo furniture get all the attention in green homes, eco-substitutes for old-school construction products like concrete, lumber and insulation are where the real action resides in the growing green building materials market.

Spurred by shifting attitudes among consumers, government mandates, and the higher prices green buildings fetch on the market, the building industry is embracing more environmentally friendly materials.

The global market for these products is now forecast to grow 25 percent over the next five years to $571 billion in sales, according to NextGen Research.

“Companies increasingly are looking at their products from cradle to cradle, from the material in the ground to when the building is remodeled or replaced,” said Larry Fisher, research director for NextGen Research.

While some of these green materials—engineered wood made from waste scraps, for example—aren’t new or hi-tech, others have emerged after years of research and development often backed by venture capital financing. And as is so often the case, nimble startups run by hungry entrepreneurs appear to be leading the way in bringing innovative products to market.

Covering the green build environment over the last eight years has been a journey filled with surprises, not the least of which was the quick integration of green building principles to the mainstream build environment.

When the U.S. Green Building Council launched the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system in 2000, it was hard to imagine that green building principles would become integral to popular culture and a driving force in the real estate market within a decade. Back then, just the mention of “green” caused developers to shudder.

Today, green homes sell quicker and at higher prices than conventional homes. Green office space commands above-market rents, because it consumes up to 50% less energy and provides a healthier work environment that improves worker productivity.

Now, all major corporations—even Wal-Mart—have adopted sustainable building standards, considered “best practices” by industry professionals. Even in a dismal real estate market, demand for green buildings continues to grow.