In a survey initiated by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, respondents inaccurately estimated green building to cost 17% above conventional construction, more than triple the true cost difference of about five percent.  At the same time, survey respondents put greenhouse gas emissions by buildings at 19 percent of world total, while the actual number of 40 percent is double this.

The implication of these results is that people generally over-estimate construction cost, and vastly under-estimate environmental benefit of building green.

"Life cycle analysis shows that 80% to 85 percent of the total energy consumption and CO2 emissions of a building comes from occupancy through heating, cooling, ventilation, and hot water use.  If we want to make an impact on climate change, we therefore need to tackle this challenge. Combining the right materials when designing a building envelope can greatly reduce a building’s energy requirements, increase its life span and ensure consistent performance over time," said Bruno Lafont, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lafarge, a co-sponsor of the research project.

Further findings are disclosed in a new report titled “Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Business Realities and Opportunities,” from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. The project is co-chaired by Lafarge and United Technologies Corporation.