This is a very popular question with a complicated answer. The situation depends on what the customer is looking for. First, you should determine what level of Green is right for you. The best way to do that is to figure out your goals in these six categories of Green.
- Lot Design – Do you want to purchase a lot that takes full advantage of Green aspects or is lot selection less of a priority?
- Resources – Are you interested in using only sustainable, recycled, and renewable materials that are designed in the most efficient way or do you prefer using only a few of these practices and products in the home you’ve selected?
- Energy – Do you want to use every possible method to make your home as energy efficient as possible, including the use of solar energy to generate energy, or would you rather use methods that give the best results for a smaller initial investment?
- Water – Do you want to reduce water usage, reuse water where possible, and capture rainwater for irrigation, or do you want to utilize low-flow fixtures and other economical choices, such as a centrally located water heater?
- Air Quality – How much of a priority are filter systems and low VOC (volatile organic compounds) which help reduce chemicals and allergens?
- Operation, Maintenance, Education – How involved would you like to be in the operation of your new home – are you looking for a home that is both economical and low-maintenance or are you looking to build a system that uses the best of technology and design to reduce your carbon footprint?
The next step is to determine the type of builder to use. Are you interested in a builder that has the education and experience to work directly with you to achieve the level of Green you desire or a builder who uses the Green label simply to charge more for a home by meeting only the basic, minimum requirements.
Paradime Construction, Inc. is set up to build Green as a standard but some minimum eco-friendly steps do cost more. For example, the Green verification process will add to the cost of the home. Energy efficient windows cost more than those of standard builders’ grade. These products and techniques do increase the price of turning a starter home into a Green Home.
The bottom line is that the cost really depends on the level of Green desired, in both the design and construction costs of your home. As a base guideline, a home that costs more than $250k would not see much of an increase to build to minimum Green standards. For a home in the lower price ranges, it may cost anywhere from $5k to $7k above the base price to bring it up to such standards. Obviously, the sky is the limit and there are many products on the market now that, while environmentally-friendly, can greatly increase the cost of Green Home construction. You can even add solar products and become much more energy-independent for the right price.
Paradime Construction, Inc. works with each of its clients to determine exactly which level of Green is both comfortable and cost-effective. The main goal is to have a home that performs better, uses today’s technology to balance the costs, and achieves the level of eco-impact our clients want.
- Submitted by Stan O'Brien of Paradime Construction, Inc.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
When you get into green construction you have to sort out the sexy stuff from the mundane and find the best value for the dollars spent and the effort expended. Time and again uneducated consumers ask me about solar, and geothermal heat pumps, but in the end it comes down to sealing details, caulking, and testing. That's where you get the best return on investment. That's good I guess because it's attainable in budget. And testing is so important because heat transfer is invisible to the naked eye. Only proper testing provides the facts and rules out the conjecture in green building. I'll have to say that the testing dollars I spent on my home were better than any other investment I made.
Post a Comment