USGBC Admits Only 0.2% of New Homes Are Built Green

Despite all the publicity surrounding green building, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) admits that only 0.2 percent of new residential construction is built green.

That woeful number is far below the 25 percent goal the association had sought after 15 years in existence. In fact, the group says only 3 percent of all commercial buildings built in 2007 met minimum green certification levels.

The council recently laid out its strategic plan for moving forward, saying many in the residential sector are already referring to green as "mainstream" when, in total, only 2 percent to 10 percent of existing homes are deemed to be green.

In it Strategic Plan, the USGBC address issues such as "greenwashing," the confusion among the public, and the falseness of major corporations claiming to be green when they really are not.

The USGBC speculates that 15 years from now, in a perfect scenario, it will no longer need to exist as a watchdog group because every building will be net-zero and green guidelines will be obsolete as they become mainstream.

Taking advantage of green was the topic of several sessions at the recently concluded EHX Fall in Long Beach, Calif. Concurring with the "greenwashing" debate, three dealers participating on the panel discussion mentioned that selling green technology to homeowners needs to have the commitment of the entire integration company to succeed. Otherwise, homeowner perception is that the dealers are merely phony baloneys.

The USGBC just concluded its annual Greenbuild Expo with more than 26,000 attendees. The exhibitors at the event, which was held in Boston, were primarily from the commercial arena.

There were few residential-oriented booths. The show's opening keynoter was South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Former President Bill Clinton spoke at an evening event.