The green glow of optimism

There are some folks around the U.S. Green Building Council who are positively pleased. In this economy. Why? They see money being spent and some of it flowing their way. They point out the construction business is usually about 15% of the American GDP and uses 40% of our energy. They welcome plans to make buildings more energy efficient, projecting a savings of $160 billion.

"Greening our existing buildings would result in an estimated savings of $160 billion in energy costs, while creating green jobs that can’t be exported...As many as 2 million jobs could be created under a green economic recovery plan envisioned by the Center for American Progress. In fact, according to an October 2008 report from the U.S. Conference of Mayors & Mayors Climate Protection Center, there were 750,000 green jobs in the U.S. economy in 2006 – a number projected to grow to 4.2 million over the next 30 years."

The USGBC also finds some reason to think their sector of the building industry may be "insulated" from the worst effects of the current recession.