Despite an uncertain economy, the market for green building is projected to grow and strengthen. The US green building market has expanded dramatically since 2008 and is projected to double in size by 2015 (from $42 billion in construction starts to $135 billion). But, says green-building pioneer Sim Van der Ryn, greening our buildings is not enough. He advocates for empathic design, in which a designer not only works in concert with nature, but with an understanding of and empathy for the end user and for oneself. It is not just one of these connections, but all three that are necessary to design for a future that is more humane, equitable, and resilient.
