Demand for Green Building Materials to Reach $80 Billion by 2013

We came across an interesting study conducted in February 2009 by the Freedonia Group, called 'Green Building Materials.' The study was posted in this week's Building Design & Construction Magazine weekly e-newsletter. According to the study, the market for Green Building materials in the United States accounted for $57 billion in sales in 2008, and is expected to grow by 7.2 percent annually to over $80 billion dollars through 2013. The following is a summary of which Green Building products are expected to grow rapidly from now until 2013.

1. Forest Stewardship Council certified lumber and wood panels - expected to be the fastest growing green building products. The demand is projected to more than triple between 2008 and 2013, more than three times faster than all types of wood panels combined. FSC certified products are produced using envionmentally responsible forestry practices.

2. Water efficient plumbing fixtures and fittings and energy-efficient lighting fixtures - expected to grow at a double digit pace through the year 2013.

3. Green floor coverings - green carpets and floor products made from rapidly renewable resources such as cork and bamboo are considered green building materials in the highest demand, and will see the greatest gains in growth.

4. Concrete made from recycled materials - products such as fly ash and blast furnace slag had the second largest share of green building materials demand in 2008 and accounted for over 15 percent of the market total. Using these materials not only reduces waste sent to landfills, but also enhances the performance of the concrete.

Dominick Tringali Architects is a residential, custom and community architectural firm specializing in the methodology lifestyle by design. To learn more, please visit www.dtarchitects.com or http://dtarchitects.blogspot.com.