A recent survey by the Green Building Council Australia found that the "green star" environmental rating system is becoming the green building standard for the industry and that government initiatives were a catalyst for change.
Manufacturers slow to respond: BCI Australia chief executive officer Matthias Krups said that the results reflected momentum in the industry, but that manufacturers were slow to respond to demand.
Window of opportunity: The results also point to a strategic window of opportunity for manufacturers’ branding and positioning, with ‘specifying green products’ ranking among the most common of green building activities, yet few if any of the architects are able to specifically put their fingers on a ‘green manufacturer’, Dr Krups said.
Other findings of the survey include:
• More than 50 per cent of Australia’s architectural firms and contractors see their sales associated with green building on the rise, yet 65 per cent of architects and contractors see ‘little or no impact’ of green building on their profits.
• The main reasons for getting involved in green building are ‘lowering life-cycle costs’ (71 per cent) and ‘being part of an industry that values the environment’ (75 per cent).
Reference: The Dollars & Sense of Green Buildings http://www.gbcaus.org
Erisk Net, 17/10/2006