The hefty upfront costs of employing green practices could eventually pay dividends and help Maryland confront potential energy shortages, experts at the RESI Economic Outlook Conference said Wednesday.

Marylanders are consuming more energy than the state can produce, with 30 percent of electricity imported over aging infrastructure, but economists and energy industry professionals said investments in green energy and development would produce returns for consumers and the state.

Buildings that are certified by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, use 30 percent less energy than a typical building, said David Pratt, president of the group’s Baltimore regional chapter. That reduction in energy use puts more money in business owners’ pockets, and puts less stress on the state’s transmission lines.

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