WHERE WE ARE

People everywhere are realizing that well built homes and furnishings that are kept clean in an environmentally intelligent way are safer for children, pets, and the rest of the family. They also save money, limit pollution, and minimize your family’s carbon footprint. Green building and cleaning materials are now widely available and gaining acceptance among consumers everywhere. At the commercial level, more and more big structures, such as New York’s Conde Nast building, are proving that building green is not only economically viable, but financially preferable over time relative to more traditional design.

WHERE WE ARE GOING

Organizations like the Forrest Stewardship Council certify the wood that is used in furnishings, and the US Green Building Council certifies the energy efficiency of buildings at Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels. Certifications from organizations like these will become more important in years to come, but only when public policy changes make energy efficiency more financially attractive than older methods (perhaps through a carbon tax) will we see more sustainable building and energy consumption at scale. Policies designed to mitigate the impact of sprawl on the environment will also be critical in years to come.