As if you needed any more proof that your customers are demanding green, check out some of these consumer spend trends... (and scroll down on this page for great website links!)
• Consumers doubled their spending on green products and services from 2007 to in 2008, totaling an estimated $500 billion annually or $43 billion per month… Source: Nation’s Building News (NBN)
• 90% of Americans agree that there are “important green issues and problems. ” (NBN)
• 82% believe it is “important for companies to implement environmentally friendly practices.” (NBN)
• Green home owners are affluent, well-educated, mid-40s and married. “Environmental concerns” and their “family's health” were significant motivating factors for going green, cited by 50% of those surveyed. McGraw Hill (McGH)
• 70% of buyers said they were “more or much more inclined” to buy a green home over a convention home in a down market. (McGH)
• 63% of green home owners said that their green purchases were motivated by lower operating and maintenance costs. (McGH)
• According to a report in BusinessWeek, members of the "millennial" generation (82-01) are becoming more socially conscious:
• 89% are likely to switch brands to support a cause.
• 74% are more likely to pay attention to messages of companies deeply committed to a cause.
• 69% consider a company's social commitment when deciding where to shop.
• 66% consider a company's social commitment when recommending products.
www.buildinggreen.com
BuildingGreen is an independent company that provides accurate, unbiased, and timely information about green design and products. BuildingGreen brings this research to you – partially free, partially for a subscription fee – through its publications: Environmental Building News, the GreenSpec directory of green products, and the BuildingGreen Suite for online research.
www.greenbuildingadvisor.com
Great green product database (searchable to the brand name level) and 1,000 green CAD plans in .dwg formats.
www.carb.ca.gov
CARB is the California state agency that regulates air quality. Its policies often have national implications.
www.carpetrug.com
CRI performs independent testing of carpets and rugs to check for chemical emissions.
www.coolroofs.org
CRRC is an independent organization that rates roofing products for their ability to reflect or emit heat.
www.doe.gov
DOE promotes America’s energy security through reliable, clean, and affordable energy. DOE’s website has an expansive offering of free material focused on energy consumption and energy efficiency.
www.eere.energy.gov
This site offers authoritative information on energy efficiency and renewable energy.
www.dsireusa.org
Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) is a comprehensive source of information.
www.environmentalhomecenter.com
A catalog source for green building products.
www.epa.gov
EPA’s website provides a wealth of free information, including lists and sources of products that are in compliance with EPA’s various programs.
www.fsc.org
FSC is an international not-for-profit membership-based organization created to reward good forest management.
www.greenbuildingblocks.com
Green Building Blocks is an online resource for green design and product information.
www.greenbuildingsupply.com
A catalog source for green building products.
www.green.ca.gov
The State of California’s green building standards are outlined here, and they offer good guidance to homes built anywhere.
www.greenguard.org
The Greenguard Certification Program (run by the Greenguard Environmental Institute) certifies low-emitting products for indoor air quality.
www.greenseal.org
Green Seal provides environmental testing and certification for a wide range of materials, including building materials.
www.icpi.org
A helpful website that offers excellent resources, installation tips, and material sources for concrete pavers.
www.eere.energy.gov/states/alternatives/resources_by_state.cfm
www.ase.org/content/article/detail/2356
A compendium of energy efficiency rules and rebates.
www.greenhomeguide.org/green_home_programs/other_green_homebuilding_programs.html
U.S. Green Building Council’s local green building programs.
www.nahbgreen.org/WhoIsGreen/pro_findprogram.aspx
NAHB’s list of local green programs:
www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/tools/funding.htm
EPA’s a summary of national green building funding opportunities.
|
