The U.S. Green Building Council, widely known for its LEED
green building rating system, says that more federal funding is needed to
continue developing green building technologies. Currently only 0.2 percent of
all federally funded research is given to green building, according to a recent
USGBC report.
“Funding
levels are not proportionate with the level of impact that the built
environment has on our nation’s economy, environment and the quality of life,”
says Gail Brager, chair of USGBC’s Research Committee. Formed last year, the
committee recommends increased research in areas including energy and water
security, global climate change prevention, and indoor environmental quality.
Brager
notes that this renewed commitment to research would bring about “a major shift
in design, construction, renovation and operation practices necessary to
facilitate large-scale improvements to health and environmental conditions.”
The USGBC notes that the decision to increase funding rests
with the two federal agencies primarily responsible for funding academic
research – the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of
Health. The group says that an estimated federal funding increase of 0.08
percent of the annual construction value – or $1 billion annually -- would help
the USGBC reach its research goals. Currently, the green building segment
receives only 0.02 percent of the annual construction value for research, or
$193 million.