This week Silicon Valley based Khosla Ventures, a group of venture capitalists welcomed the newest member to their team of green tech investors, Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.  

With over 1.1 billion invested in tech firms that not only include clean technology, the venture group announced the addition of Blair as a senior advisor at their summit for limited partners in Sausalito, California.  As a new advisor Blair will advises Khosla portfolios on public policy.
Khosla continued investing in clean tech companies over the last few years, while total investment capital fell to $2.3 billion in 2009 from $4.1 billion in 2008, according to the National Venture Capital Association.  

Blair brings to the table his involvement in the leadership of “Breaking the Climate Deadlock” effort, an endeavor to raise awareness and build consensus towards an international climate policy.   

Whether or not you are a climate change skeptic or believer, this group is focused on technology, not just to address emissions, but to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create new innovative technologies and jobs.  Silicon Valley is known for it’s creative, ambitions and innovative start-ups of the 90’s, and I would love to see an infusion of cash pumped into new and emerging companies that can design and create new and inspiring products for intelligent, sustainable and  smart design.  With investments in green tech, we can compete on a global scale in new manufacturing opportunities, retool existing facilities and employ a displaced workforce to create a new tech revolution.  

Khosla is one venture capitalist firm. Hopefully others will follow suit and move our economy forward with an infusion of funding that is not available from the banking industry for small businesses and start-ups.

Despite the construction of the largest solar plant in the United States that once had 300 plus employees, the DeSoto Solar Center in Florida now has only 2 full time jobs.  How is this possible with all the stimulus money flowing towards green jobs?

I read so much about the funding of green jobs as a way to jump start our economy and I truly believe that green can and will be a new beginning to our manufacturing base. This story, however, seems contrary to all the stimulus plans, since all the plants parts are manufactured abroad - in several different countries.   This seems so inefficient and un-green when you look at the whole life-cycle of product production.

I admire this administrations efforts towards sustainability and the creation of green jobs, but at this time they seem temporary as most of the funding is geared towards research and the start up of only a few companies. The fact remains that the only green jobs we hear of are paid by taxpayer subsidies and government mandates.  Will this change, or is this the only news we read?

The funding is commendable, but I would love to see significant subsides and business capital designed to guarantee market share towards more renewable energy especially in regard to wind and solar.  These energy options have short cycle sourcing and  product production with life cycles that begin in one country.  It would be great to see more green and clean jobs based on marketplace funding rather than taxes funding temporary green jobs.

During these tough economic times it is a welcome change of pace to see any positive progress. The Los Angeles Times yesterday ran an article highlighting a new study by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) covering an upturn in construction activity. According to the study, the increase in October 2009 was “the highest level of new business for the nation’s architects since August 2008.” This welcome news should not be interpreted as a complete turnaround however, as noted by Kermit Baker, chief economist for the AIA. Rather this news serves as a signal that the construction industry may start pulling out of its slump sooner rather than later. 

Not every member of the AIA agrees with the report as well, with Richard Keating of Keating Khang Architecture saying “We haven’t seen anything that would substantiate that, not here in Southern California.” I may not be very knowledgeable, but it seems to me as if Southern California always has a site under construction. The report provides a more general outlook for the industry as a whole and can function as an indicator for trends to come.  As mentioned in the article, architectural billings are a primary signal of ‘future development due to builders taking an adverse stance on spending money on design.’