A new study commissioned by the U.S. Green Building Council estimates the demand for green building industry jobs will grow to 3.3 million by 2018. The 2015 Green Building Economic Study, prepared by Booz Allen, predicted that green construction will generate $190.3 billion in labor earnings and add $303.5 billion to the Gross Domestic Product by 2018.
Green building is playing a massive role in the U.S. construction sector, the clean and efficient energy sector and the U.S. economy as a whole, said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. More than 2.3 million U.S. workers are taking home $134 billion annually in large part because of green building programs like LEED. Demand for green building will only continue to grow as individuals, businesses and institutions continue to prioritize sustainable approaches to the design, construction and operations of our built environment.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) contributes significantly to the economic impact of green construction on the U.S. economy. Between now and 2018, LEED construction will itself add $109 billion to the GDP, support 1.4 million jobs and provide $96 billion in labor earnings.
Our research shows that green building has created millions of jobs and contributed hundreds of billions of dollars to the U.S. economy, with the construction of LEED-certified buildings accounting for about 40 percent of green construction’s overall contribution to GDP in 2015, said David Erne, a Senior Associate at Booz Allen. This industry is certainly on the rise, and aggressive growth in the green building sector is anticipated over the next four years.
When it comes to the built environment, the American public cares about the impact both economically and environmentally. The U.S. business sector and the government have taken notice. The federal government has increased green infrastructure spending in order to increase energy efficiency, decrease greenhouse gases and stimulate job growth. Businesses have recognized the benefits of green construction from increased resale value of buildings to the well-being of building occupants in addition to all of the environmental benefits.
The future of the green building industry looks bright. Are you ready?
