Architecture & Design: There's Green In Them Thar Hills

The boom in environmentally-friendly living has spread from residential desires to the commercial market, as evinced by the new desire of private-equity investors to go for the green:

Whereas Rose hopes to raise funds from private and nonprofit investors, Fitzpatrick (an architect by training who hopes to make a bigger impact) hopes to gain substantial funding from public pension funds. If these funds successfully quantify the financial benefits of investing in green development, they could attract more investment, thereby mainstreaming now-unconventional forms of development.

I've been saying for years that environmentally friendly designs and sustainable building plans are good business AND good for the environment as well. It doesn't have to be a win-lose scenario. Here's a building supplier from the other side of the pond that also gets the message.

Housing Finance has a full-scale special section devoted to the principles of green living, including the still-slow pace of the green lending market.

These are all positive developments, and good reminders that in the long term, past bubbles, blowouts, and crashes, the shape of real estate is going to be affected as much by Mama Earth as it will by irrational exuberance, froth, and speculation.

Posted at July 18, 2006 05:43 PM

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The boom in environmentally-friendly living has spread from residential desires to the commercial market, as evinced by the new desire of private-equity investors to go for the green: Whereas Rose hopes to raise funds from private and nonprofit investors, Fitzpatrick (an architect by training who hopes to make a bigger impact) hopes to gain substantial funding from public pension funds. If these funds successfully quantify the financial benefits of investing in green development, they could attract more investment, thereby mainstreaming now-unconventional forms of development. I've been saying for years that environmentally friendly designs and sustainable building plans are good business AND good for the environment as well. It doesn't have to be a win-lose scenario. Here's a building supplier from the other side of the pond that also gets the message. Housing Finance has a full-scale special section devoted to the principles of green living, including the still-slow pace of the green lending market. These are all positive developments, and good reminders that in the long term, past bubbles, blowouts, and crashes, the shape of real estate is going to be affected as much by Mama Earth as it will by irrational exuberance, froth, and speculation.