Sustainability is about following the triple bottom line principles of environmental preservation, social responsibility and economic profitability. Traditional cost-benefit analysis with a short-term horizon fails to capture economic benefits of a product/solution satisfying the first two principles, leading to perceived economic infeasibility of sustainable products/solutions. This review article first discusses the sustainability concept and the need for a business case for sustainability before outlining the issues and components that should be considered to make a strong business case for sustainable products/solutions. Based on presently available knowledge, an integrated, holistic, life-cycle based and longer-term approach to costs and benefits with due inclusion of intangibles is proposed to make a proper business case for such product/solutions in order to make them commercialized and absorbed in the society effectively and faster. It is also shown how elements of green building movement, such as LEED green building assessment system, are making tremendous market transformation by presenting a good business case for green buildings.