It is becoming apparent that "green design" is not a passing trend. More and more, words such as "sustainable," "LEED certified," "eco-friendly" and "carbon foot print" are being used to describe the construction of new buildings and homes. According to a statement recently released by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), local communities in the U.S. are expanding their green building programs despite the economic downturn.
"More than one in five U.S. cities with populations greater than 50,000 surveyed by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) report having a policy to promote green buildings, accounting for more than 53 million people," stated the AIA. "The AIA initially conducted this survey in 2007 for a Local Leaders in Sustainability report that has just been updated. The new report, "Green Building Policy in a Changing Economic Environment," is an inventory of policies and best practices intended to help policymakers advance a more sustainable legislative agenda for growth and development."