The construction industry has discovered that greening its energy sources with renewable energy initiatives is good not only for the global environment but also for the bottom line.
Many construction companies took their cue from Ray Anderson, the late CEO of Atlanta-based global carpet company Interface. When Anderson decided to move Interface’s manufacturing operations toward full sustainability in the mid-1990s, his top executives argued against it. They didn’t think the costly move was good for its balance sheet. Anderson disagreed, and prevailed less than a decade later, when results proved him right.
Anderson was hailed as a corporate visionary. Interface was saving $400 million a year by reducing waste, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by 92 percent, and cutting water usage by 75 percent. And profits doubled.
Construction company managers, along with decision makers in practically all industries, have long been moving toward green technologies. And for sound reasons.
Strong growth is projected for the global green building market.
In Nov. 2025, Global Market Insights, a market research and consulting firm, estimated that the green building market was $530.2 billion in 2024, and would be growing from $580.2 billion in 2025 to $1.39 trillion by 2034.
And consumers are supporting this. A 2024 PwC survey found that “Consumers are willing to spend an average of 9.7% more on sustainably produced or sourced goods, even as cost-of-living and inflationary concerns weigh.”
More bang for your buck
The U.S. Green Building Council has reported an ROI of 19.2% for existing green buildings and 9.9% for new construction projects, according to GAIN Commercial Real Estate. “Not only does building green benefit investors, but it also helps the US economy by creating jobs and wages. In fact, studies have found that rental rates are higher in LEED-certified buildings than non-certified ones. You might think that sustainable development is more expensive, but think again.”
Three takeaways
- Don’t sacrifice profits. Companies can make good on sustainability pledges and still create value.
- Consider the entire spectrum of solutions. This is a pragmatic way to evaluate all available solutions as well as potential partnerships.
- Focus on partnerships. Finding the right development or financing partner can make all the difference. Seek out relationships with reputable technology suppliers and service providers to help shorten the learning curve.
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