Cost of Green Building Study

There have been many studies on the cost of green building, and they have consistently found that the cost premium for building green is moderate, and far less than what many people once thought. But while these studies have addressed general perceptions, they have not answered many questions about the cost of green building in specific localities, such as New York City.

For this reason, USGBC New York, in conjunction with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), has commissioned the firm Davis Langdon to analyze the cost of building green in New York City. Their study will replicate a national study previously conducted by Davis Langdon, which found no statistical difference in the cost per square foot between green and non-green buildings. The study further demonstrated that there is a range in costs for all buildings, green or otherwise, and that it is possible to build green within whatever budget is set for a project.

We expect to complete our New York City study by spring 2008 and to release our findings to the public at that time.