Alternative Building Certification Popularity Grows

While overall interest in third-party green building certification systems is increasing, the number of executives planning to seek certification under other rating systems nearly doubled, according to a survey conducted by Turner Construction.

The 2014 Green Building Market Barometer shows that 62% of respondents said their organization would be extremely or very likely to seek LEED certification if they were undertaking a green building project, with 43% saying they would be very likely to seek certification under an alternative green building system such as ENERGY STAR or Green Globes – though the options were not mutually exclusive. This is a marked increase from the previous survey in 2012, which showed that only 48% would pursue LEED and 17% planned to pursue certification under an alternate rating system.

Also noted is an increased focus on water efficiency – 71% of respondents said their organization would be extremely or very likely to incorporate water reduction practices. Additionally, the survey points to extreme weather events such as Hurricane Sandy to explain an increased interest in building resiliency, with 66% noting that it was an important factor when designing or renovating a project. While the results are encouraging, the survey shows that there is still work to be done, with 56% of surveyed executives saying that green feature payback periods are a significant obstacle to green construction.

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