NAHB: Cost-Effective Green a Trend to Watch, NAHB Says

NAHB: Cost-Effective Green a Trend to Watch, NAHB Says

January 21, 2010 - The key to the mainstreaming of green is to make sure that consumers understand the value of green upgrades – and exactly how cost-effective that sustainable construction can be in the long run, according to four green home building professionals who spoke at a press conference on Wednesday at the National Association of Home Builders’ International Builders’ Show.

Builders, remodelers and product manufacturers are beginning to green their processes and incorporate more energy-, water- and resource-efficient features. They are learning how to reduce waste on the job site to save enough money to pay for these upgrades – and help ensure that the builder makes a profit, said consultant Steve Bertasso, who helps builders achieve these measures.

Green building has truly reached the tipping point because it’s moving out of the custom home market into the realm of high-production homes, he added. "This year is going to be a big change in the production [building] environment," Bertasso predicted. "Consumers are asking questions they didn’t ask two and a half years ago and contractors are making better decisions."

The key to reducing the nation’s energy use is to green existing homes, said Philip Beere, who is remodeling distressed properties near Phoenix’s new rapid transit line. Adding insulation, improving the ventilation and air conditioning systems and replacing turf grass with landscaping more appropriate to the Southwest’s desert climate doesn’t cost much more than a traditional remodel, but "retrofitting these homes to be green is a good solution," he said.

Connecticut home builder Jim Pepitone called himself a "late adopter," but one who has finally seen the green light – and believes the rest of the industry can’t be far behind. Builders need to educate consumers on air sealing, the importance of right-sized heating systems and good insulation, and the advantages of rooms that can serve more than one purpose so the home can be smaller and less expensive. "We need to make sustainable attainable," he said.


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Geography

Green features! Many green programs award points for NOT having certain items: garages, air conditioning, etc. Is this fair?

Just because a builder is from the Northeast or Northwest and can build without an air conditioning system (try building a house in the Southern states with out A/C) or the geographical regions that detached or no garages could be built, should they get more points in the program?

My question is this: Should points or recognition be given for this or should we be held accountable to provide the best performing system for the geographical area that we build?

- Posted by GBCGC Executive Committee Member Thom Chumney.

When a home energy audit pays - Jan. 7, 2010

When a home energy audit pays - Jan. 7, 2010


This article appeared on CNN Money on January 7, 2010. Green Building Council Member Larry Newton forwarded it to our attention. Larry is an instructor of the Building Performance Institute (BPI) classes offered locally at Midlands Technical College. For more information on this story and BPI certification, please contact Larry Newton by e-mail at lnewton@sc.rr.com.


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