Mr. Booker's strategy combines the openness of competitive bidding with the flexibility necessary to achieve public policy goals, like affordable housing, local employment and environmentally friendly construction.
However, there has lately been interest in developing more environmentally friendly construction materials that have lower cement content, since cement manufacture has a large carbon footprint.
Environmentally friendly construction "can be done in a way that's good for the economy, not bad," said Clinton, who spoke at a roundtable discussion sponsored by Shangri-La Industries, a green development and construction company founded by Hollywood mogul Steve Bing.
As green construction goes mainstream, architects and builders are becoming better versed in environmentally friendly construction, and new green products are increasing the choices — thus lowering the prices — for elements like floors and countertops.
The U.S. Green Building Council, which sets standards for environmentally friendly construction, has certified 60 green schools, including a new building at Sidwell Friends School in Washington that is constructed partly from recycled wine barrels.
Prompted by a rise in oil prices in recent years as well as expanded production from Alberta's enormous oil sands reserves, the office boom also reflects this city's growing attention to bold architecture and environmentally friendly construction.
