Going Green: Waste Solutions

Waste Solutions for a Growing Green Building Market

December 3, 2010 - Earlier this month, construction and building professionals from around the world gathered in Chicago for the annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. Nearly 12,000 conference attendees heard General Colin Powell kick off the two-day event, which has grown in registration by more than 450% since its launch in 2002. The conference’s growth over the last eight years reflects a significant increase in the growth of the green building industry worldwide. From 2008 to 2010, the value of green building increased by 50% and, according to McGraw-Hill Construction’s “Green Outlook 2011: Green Trends Driving Growth” report, the green building market will reach $135 billion by 2015.

Behind energy efficiency, waste management rates as one of the most important aspects of green building. Accounting for the steady increase in sustainable waste management practices are waste management regulations from state and local governments, customer demand and green building certification through the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) program. In fact, as of September 2010, green building legislation and initiatives were present in 12 federal agencies and 33 states. Local government initiatives have increased just as rapidly— from 156 localities in 2008 to 384 localities in 2010. {read rest}