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Green building is often thought of as a liberal issue — lumped in with other environmental causes that democrats support. And in some ways, that makes sense — democrats are widely identified with ecological issues because the party for years has championed environmental reform (Al Gore’s "An Inconvenient Truth" wasn’t actually about things that are inconvenient, after all.) But to call green building a liberal initiative is unfair — and when it comes to widespread acceptance, it can be damaging. It’s important to note several republicans also support green living. Take, for example, Wisconsin Sen. Robert Cowles (R-Green Bay) and…

June truly was a green month for those of us in summer climates — and for design. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced in June it would commit $1 million to green building research. The money will be used to investigate change mitigation, the business practicalities of green building and more. Although the USGBC hasn’t announced when the funding will be used, its research committee will release a research agenda report in fall. Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chair of USGBC, said it was the next logical step in advancing green design acceptance. "The industry needs to take…

When Greensville, Kan., was hit by a tornado on May 4, the town was devastated. The downtown area suffered significant damage. Conditions were so bad that residents were evacuated the next day, and estimates published months after the storm estimated that the 1,450-person city was 95 percent destroyed. But now, Greensville may turn a tragedy into an ecological triumph. As the town now begins to rebuild, it is considering using green design to restructure the entire area, the Hays Daily News reports. Going green would make Greensville the first fully sustainable town in the U.S., a potential model for other…

With the recent announcements about the dire state of the housing industry, many are weighing in on what they think is wrong — and what can fix the problem. In yesterday’s blog, we discussed some possible solutions. First Trust Advisors, an Illinois-based investment company, noted in a release yesterday that housing sales have dropped to their lowest level since 2000. The company has shared some interesting ideas on the housing slump of its own via RTT News: First Trust analysts stated that what matters for GDP growth is the rate of change, not the level of residential construction,  and that…

The Commerce Department’s announcement this week that the housing recession was ongoing and would likely cause the economy to slow for the rest of the year indicated dark days ahead — which is not news to the residential construction community. Things have been bleak throughout 2007, as the housing community knows. The boom of recent years has slowed down, leaving an excess of property on the market, along with hesitant buyers who are concerned due to media coverage of the slump, rising mortgage rates, lending policies — or all of the above. How are we ever going to turn this…

As a developer or design firm committed to sustainable building, it’s often a done deal if a client approaches you about using green design principles. Fine. You’re happy to make the building as environmentally friendly and ecosmart as possible. However, if your client hasn’t considered green design — or isn’t even aware what it is — how do you gently suggest ingratiating sustainability into a project’s planning and construction? Getting an expert opinion — Some projects, such as the 4040 Campbell Ave. office building in Menlo Park, Calif., include special LEED consultants, architecture firms hired to identify specific ways more…

Urging communities to build new residential and commercial structures using green design principles to benefit the environment is a fair argument — but what about when the goal is for properties to look pretty? Clearly, making new construction attractive is as much a goal — if not more — for developers as energy efficiency and using ecologically-conscious materials may be. Which is why it’s nice to see that the recent San Diego chapter of the American Institute of Architects awards reflected an emphasis on green and aesthetic design. The San Diego Union-Tribune recently reported that the 2007 awards were in…

Chicago’s first green residential tower aims to be the country’s most sustainable, the Chicago Tribune reported on Sunday. The 62-story building, 340 on the Park, is expected to achieve a silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating, LEED’s third highest. It’s a commendable intent for the building, whose first goal seemed to be luxury living. When construction on the Randolph Street complex began in 2005, early designs revealed that 340 would be an elegant complex; unit floors are said to be bamboo, not wood; views include Grant Park and Millennium Park and Lake Michigan. Three bedroom units with…

Real estate prices in California have skyrocketed in recent years, leaving many would-be homeowners in the dust. This is especially true in San Diego, where high housing costs and relatively low wages have combined to make it the sixth least affordable major metropolitan area in the country, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Cost-efficient family housing is a real concern for the area. However, one company found a way to make affordable housing even more affordable — by using solar energy to offset electricity bills. Fairbanks Ridge, a 204-unit affordable living apartment complex in San Diego, has more…

You’re not imagining things: Those really are cranes down the street, and you really did see a sign posted for a new development two blocks over. But if business is still booming as far as building is concerned, why all the media panic over the decline of the housing market? Because the decline doesn’t just stop at — or with — your front door. And like it or not, the market is declining: In a July 18, 2007 article on the housing market, Bloomberg News points out that the properties are still being built — not, perhaps, in the fervor…