Alternative construction materials raking in green despite downturn

[Florida] The housing downturn is leaving one part of the construction industry remarkably unscathed: makers of so-called green building materials. Purveyors of such building components as foam insulation and faux wood shingles are continuing to see gangbuster sales, almost as though the housing boom that ended a year ago were still at full tilt. Materials are considered “green,” in industry parlance, when they generally help reduce energy use more than conventional materials or are manufactured in a way that has less of an impact on the environment. Nationally, green homes are projected to increase to between 5 percent and 10 percent of U.S. housing starts by 2010.

News notes are courtesy of Southern Forests Network News Notes
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