According to a study by Navigant Research, the worldwide market for green construction materials will more than double in the next seven years to more than $250 billion by 2020. Just how this impending spike in demand will impact the cost of green construction is difficult to predict, but it's safe to say that construction costs will increase for projects that involve these materials.

Is the global increase in demand for energy efficient building materials and technologies raising the cost of the very solutions that are meant to save your organization money? While it could spell increased costs for organizations looking to build a high performance building from the ground up, there are still many options available to increase building efficiency without blowing your budget.

With costs of materials and technologies on the rise, it's important that organizations considering new construction projects or building retrofits understand the value that different choices can bring to their project. For instance, while upgrading choices in building materials might improve the baseline efficiency of a building, there can be opportunity costs that arise if these material costs lead to offsets elsewhere in the building budget.

Instead, organizations should look at the project as a whole and consider how each decision related to building design will impact total project costs and bottom line building performance over the entire life of the buliding. Factors beyond building materials to consider include the design of the building’s heating and cooling systems, and building management and automation systems, which can play a significant role in achieving better outcomes.

Whether its maximizing the return on investment or making choices that help stretch a tight budget, Trane works closely with building owners to understand their options and prioritize energy conservation measures (ECM) that are best suited to their unique situation.

Sometimes, the latest building materials are a part of the best solution. Other times, more efficient systems or a change in maintenance or management procedures may be in order. Either way, a good energy management services company like Trane has you covered.

Click here to learn more about the measurable, year-over-year benefits of the Trane high performance buildings approach to optimizing building efficiency.