Image of Green Building Trends; Image of green home with yard and green home practices.

LEED professionals are leading the green building revolution. They are the key to creating a healthy, sustainable world and the future looks bright for the green building industry. This year it’s estimated that up to 48 percent of new nonresidential construction will be green. In 2013, 23 percent of new single-family residential construction was green, and that number continues to grow every year.

Homeowners and commercial building owners recognize the value in green buildings, such as lower operating costs, smaller carbon footprints, reduced energy usage, healthier environments for occupants, and increased resale value. With an increased demand for eco-friendly buildings in 2015, look for these trends to continue in green building construction and retrofitting:

Eco-friendly building materials

  • Green roofs. Growing plants on roofs provides insulation, harvests water and provides a place for urban gardening.
  • Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) free paints, glues and carpet.
  • Natural fiber insulation.

Water-saving methods

  • Water-saving fixtures.
  • Low-flow toilets.
  • Greywater recycling. Treated water can be used in commercial cooling towers, irrigation, or toilet flushing.
  • Harvesting rainwater.

Passive houses designed to heat and cool with minimal energy usage

  • Strategic window placement.
  • Innovative airflow.
  • Superior insulation.

Renewable energy installations

  • Solar panels are becoming cost-competitive with traditional sources of energy in the residential market.
  • Use of geothermal energy for heating and cooling systems.

Occupant-friendly design

  • Walkable communities.
  • Building close to mass transit.
  • Using natural landscape to reduce energy and utility costs.

At GBES, we educate the green building leaders of today and tomorrow. LEED credentials and continuing education keep LEED professionals up-to-date on the latest green building practices and technologies.