Building Green

Once only a dream for a few well-off customers, a home that is built in a way that honors its environment and owners is now a reality for most prospective home buyers. 

"Green building" practices are being used nationwide by a growing number of environmentally conscious companies who also are well aware of the "bottom line". 

If you are considering a new home, realize that YOU are the agent for change in the industry.  Your questions and insistence on smarter building practices will, over time, cause the industry to offer new alternatives  and better homes.  Market forces at work!

Major areas to research would be:

• Site planning - is passive solar (using radiant heat coming in the windows/skylights) a factor in the plan?  Is the house situated so that active solar is an option for water heating/electrical systems?
• Materials - Is the builder aware of non-traditional insulation such as recycled cotton batting for the attic and walls?  Are there synthetic substances being ordered for use, such as mdf or particleboards or vinyl? 
• Tightness of the "home envelope" - does the builder seal ALL gaps with foam or insulation?  How much insulation is used and where? Is the HVAC arranged so make maximum use of the air currents, central fireplaces, returns, etc?
• Sustainable energy options - does the builder have experience working with solar hot water (which is now practical to install and very economical) or other systems such as Geothermal heating/cooling?  Do they design their homes with energy options in mind?
• Landscaping (if any) - does the builder offer a landscaping plan that is environmentally-friendly (low water usage, recycling water for irrigation)

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Picking a home builder for your green home project:

In my view, there are three stages of home builder to be aware of when it comes to a green commitment to your project:

Stage 1: They're doing pretty much what they've always been doing but have been approached by some vendor reps who've sold them on some new materials, etc. The temptation to "greenwash" is very high and easily seen through by knowledgable homebuyers.

Stage 2: They decide as a company to do some research and seek out new building materials and practices and, to the degree to which $$ impact allow, make some fundamental changes in their traditional approach to homebuilding.  The company marketing should reflect the thought process at the management level and the concrete steps being taken to incorporate green.  It's important to note that knowledgeable homebuyers would still not consider this builder a "green homebuilder".

Stage 3: They make a commitment at the mission level to embark on a comprehensive re-evuation of their materials and practices, bring in progressive architects to guide them, and begin to envision totally different communities & dwellings.  These builders (especially as they can point to completed projects) have the ability to market themselves as having "gone green" because they really have.  The company culture has changed.

As you might imagine, there are a lot of Stage 1s and Stage 2s around, mostly somewhere between 1 and 2.  These companies have to be honest with themselves and the knowledgable public and market themselves appropriately.

Don't forget to check out our innovative SmartGreen Homebuyer Package®

  ©2010 Jeff R. Geoghan