If you are in real estate, you already know new building and housing starts are down. Now, the AIA has put some numbers around it. A new report shows that construction spending is down 27 percent since 2008, a loss of $300 billion in economic activity. Leanne Tobias at Greenbiz writes:

"As reported in a new study by the American Institute of Architects, construction spending in the U.S. has declined by 27 percent since 2008, an economic loss of close to $300 billion. (An additional $470 billion in construction-related spending also has been lost.) Private construction projects have been particularly hard hit, declining by more than a third, while public construction is down roughly 10 percent.

Rocky Mountain Institute and Cushman & Wakefield experts presented a well-attended session at Greenbuild Toronto on high energy performance glass, titled Transparency in the Service of Sustainability: Addressing the Market Demand for Glass Buildings.

Greenbuild 2011 is right around the corner (this year, in Toronto from October 4 -7) and Serious Energy will be there. Come meet the team and learn about how we're making buildings smarter, more energy efficient, more comfortable, and more valuable!