The Investors are Coming! The Investors are Coming!
Today’s Wall Street Journal (January 17th) carries an article, “Green Builders Draw Funds,” that documents the rising level of interest by private equity investors as well as individuals in putting money into green building products, materials, systems and companies, especially in the last six months.
The venture capital interest in the “green building market space” is a sure indicator that we’re making progress in mainstreaming green. As the saying goes, “if there’s enough horse manure around, there must be a pony somewhere.” (No analogy is intended of course between venture capital and horse manure!) Companies are investing in products and systems that reduce the use of toxic materials in construction, that make the construction process more efficient, that encourage green housing technologies, that help energy efficiency, that provide more ways to insulate homes and buildings with concrete and similar “structural insulated panels” (SIPs), and in many more avenues for making money in this $750 billion (construction value) industry. Not as big as the renewable energy and biofuels market, but a positive sign nonetheless. Look for this action to accelerate in 2007, particularly in companies that already have products and at least $1 to $2 million in sales, where a $5 to $10 million investment could quickly scale up in terms of sales.
Posted by on 01/17/2007 at 02:02 PM
