Green building gains leading status in USA

The concept of green building or the structure focusing on increasing the efficiency of resource use — energy, water, and materials – while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building’s lifecycle is in full swing in the realm of the United States of America and experts predict that more optimistic projects are in the offing and that this novel trend can save the country from quandaries.

Nevertheless, several optimistic projects have already finished that have raised hopes to a great height and the success of CB Richard Ellis Inc. in enrolling 225 office buildings in the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - Existing Building program deserves special mention.

As indicated by the CBRE spokesman, enrollment of the properties is the first step in the process for attaining LEED-EB certification. It is to be noted that during the end of 2007, CBRE made the commitment of enrolling a minimum 100 buildings in the then-emerging LEED-EB process and it, by now, has become the largest third-party manager of buildings in the leading program for environmental sustainability.

The main agency to rule the show, as expected, is LEED or the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. The properties that CBRE enrolled in the LEED-EB program total more than 57 million sq. ft. and are owned by more than 55 different investors and corporations in 21 states.

All these indicate that the notion of green building has gained a prominent status in USA and it is influencing a new generation of builders. The trend, if truth be told, is gearing up for more successes. “LEED for Existing Buildings is our second most commonly used rating system behind LEED for New Construction,” says Marie E. Coleman, communications coordinator for the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

CBRE, at present, manages 17 buildings that have attained LEED-EB certification, more than any other commercial property management firm. The total is likely to grow to 50 buildings by year end.