A recent report says the green housing market in the United States is expected to rapidly grow in the coming years:

Regardless, a new report says the value of green residential and non-residential buildings in the United States is rapidly accelerating from only $10 billion in 2005.

McGraw-Hill Construction’s 2013 Dodge Construction Green Outlook says the value could reach $106 billion next year and go as high as $248 billion by 2016.

Based on the forecast for construction of single-family homes, the residential portion of U.S. green building could reach $116 billion by 2016, the report says.

Green building is a bright spot in a still-shaky economy, added the report, which was released Nov. 15.

A green structure is defined as one built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, standards, or one that is energy- and water-efficient while improving indoor environmental quality.

So there is at least one bright spot in the housing market. The demand for green homes could grow and I suspect builders might be able to charge a premium for these homes. There could be several areas in which builders could up the price: more expensive materials, the energy efficiency and savings of the home over the years, the special design a green home might require, and the status that comes with owning a green home. The example home in the story illustrates this: it is a 3,100 square foot home that will cost around a million dollars.

And note, the opening sentence of the story notes the difference between this green home and McMansions. There seem to be both similarities and differences between this green home and McMansions: it is still expensive and in the midst of sprawl even as it is a greener home, has a modern design, and is located on a one-acre lot.