Green building and sustainable design have emerged as the next frontiers for builders and developers, who are faced with the ever-rising cost of energy and increased demand to provide energy efficient buildings. Lloyd Rosenberg, who founded Green Economics, Inc., in 2007 to address the growing need for an environmental consulting firm aimed at the building trades, was invited to be part of a panel discussion at the National Association of Industrial and Office Property's (NAIOP) New Jersey chapter meeting. The discussion examined why renewable energy, sustainable architecture and environmental awareness are all vital business strategies for real estate professionals. "Green Economics exists to help educate people on why sustainability is beneficial," said Rosenberg. "This was a great opportunity for us to reach out to people who may not necessarily be well informed on the subject of environmental energy issues." Rosenberg, who founded DMR Architects and has served as president of the Hasbrouck Heights firm for 16 years, said he first realized the need for advice and counsel on sustainable architecture and other green building initiatives when his own architects began seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification several years ago. LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED certification and sustainable design has gone from being a specialty of one or two architects at the firm to being a focus for the entire company. Rosenberg said that awareness in public and private sectors of sustainable design has continued to grow. Like air conditioning or elevators introduced years ago, green building will eventually be accepted as the design norm, and seeking LEED certification now will produce a building with a much higher market value in future years than a building that is not LEED certified. "NAIOP was pleased to have Lloyd Rosenberg address our chapter regarding the impact that rising utility costs and green building practices have on energy savings and a company's bottom line," said Michael McGuinness, executive director of the New Jersey chapter of NAIOP. "It's also a thrill to know that someone with Lloyd's expertise is readily available to our members for guidance on this often complex issue, and that our members are getting advice on making smart business decisions now versus trying to catch up to the pack in later years." The chapter meeting included panel members with expertise in development and brokerage firms and focused on the effect of rising energy costs on real estate development. Topics included renewable energy, sustainable architecture (green building), changes in the global and energy markets and environmental awareness as smart business. Fisher, senior vice project manager, Liberty Property Trust; Rosenberg; Jeffrey Grant, director - corporate energy, Mack-Cali Realty Corp.; Janis Lewandowski, senior economic development executive, First Energy/JCP&L; Shyam Kannan, vice president, director of research and development, Robert Charles Lesser & Co., LLC; and Michael McGuinness, executive director, NAIOP-NJ.