Showroom floor

Hundreds of visitors to the showroom thumbed through swatches of eco-friendly wood floors, carpeting, bathroom tiles and kitchen countertops. Nearly half of the 50 tenants are national companies, while 100 vacancies remain in the three-story, 55,000-foot center, which will be open seven days a week

The Green Building Exchange leases space in a building lacking green credentials, although the interior walls are coated with low-toxic paint. The eco-emporium is set to expand, becoming the largest tenant in the Green Exchange slated to open in Chicago late in 2008.

More than five dozen stores in 27 states specialize in green building goods, such as Greenmaker in Chicago and Eco-Smart in Sarasota, Fla. The Green Building Exchange adds a weekly radio show and workshops as well as free space to nonprofit and government groups.