While more Maryland builders and businesses are embracing environmentally friendly practices, executives at The Tower Cos. know most have a ways to go to reach their brand of green.

The Rockville development company, which is about 60 years old, had already focused on smart growth and incorporating ecologically sensitive building practices by the mid-1990s, well before going green reached

mainstream status. Along the way, it has achieved a number of firsts — including being the nation's first developer of multi-family housing that meets the stringent certification standards of the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program at Blair Towns in Silver Spring; and the first in the Washington, D.C., area to achieve the highest LEED certification level of platinum for a multi-tenant commercial office building at the Millennium Building at 1909 K St. NW.

The green building market is increasing substantially, according to a recent study by the U.S. Green Building Council and Booz Allen Hamilton. The total value of green construction nationally rose from $10 billion in 2005 to as much as $49 billion in 2008. By 2013, the market could grow to as much as $140 billion, creating 7.9 million jobs by then.

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