New Book Predicts Major Growth in Green Buildings
A major new book on marketing green buildings predicts that the number of LEED-registered buildings will grow more than five-fold over the next five years.

Author Jerry Yudelson, P.E., chair of the steering committee for this year’s Greenbuild conference, predicts that the total number of LEED-registered projects will grow from about 1,760 at the end of 2004 to nearly 10,000 at the end of 2009. “I’ve used classical models of adoption of new technologies to make this prediction,” says Yudelson, “and I’m confident that green-building growth will follow these models.”

The Insider’s Guide to Marketing Green Buildings is based on the last seven years of Yudelson’s experience. Nearly 200 pages, it contains more than 50 charts, graphs, project photos, figures, and tables charting the past growth and future direction of the green building industry. There are numerous case studies of successful marketing by professional service firms, product manufacturers, contractors, and developers, but Yudelson is candid about the obstacles facing future growth of this industry. “The primary issue is upfront cost,” he says. “Based on numerous surveys, we know that the building industry is very sensitive to initial cost.” What’s unique about this book, he feels, is that it brings contemporary marketing theory and practice together with green-building professional practice, and it gives data, tools, techniques, strategies, and practical examples designed to encourage more successful marketing of green buildings, developments, and products by industry professionals.

“This book was written for practitioners such as me—architects, engineers, developers, product vendors, and construction professionals—out there on the front lines of the green-building revolution. There are thousands of us out there, trying to transform the building industry into a more environmentally responsible activity, and we’re doing it literally one presentation, one meeting, one design, one project, one product at a time,” noted Yudelson.

Christine Ervin, former President and CEO of the US Green Building Council (USGBC), said of the book, “No trend in the building industry carries more consequence or momentum as the green-building movement. The Insider’s Guide provides a just-in-time tool for those wanting to understand how marketing professionals assess such markets and opportunities. Even better, it provides practitioners with insights and tools to help green-building practitioners ‘make the sale’ to clients.”

The Insider’s Guide to Marketing Green Buildings (ws-601) can be ordered through the SMPS Bookstore at http://store.smpsbookstore.org/ingutomagrbu.html. The price is $79, plus shipping.

Jerry Yudelson, P.E., is sustainability director for a major Northwest consulting engineering firm, a national faculty member for the USGBC’s LEED workshops, and a former USGBC national Board member. He was honored in October as “Green-Building Advocate” of the year by the Better Bricks program of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance and, in November, was named 1 of the 25 green-building leaders in the Northwest by Sustainable Industries Journal. He is chair of the 2004 and 2005 Greenbuild conferences of the USGBC, the largest green-building gatherings in the world. He is one of the few LEED version 2.1 Accredited Professionals in the United States at this time. [ return to top ]