According to the latest estimates, by the year 2007, approximately 64 percent of home builders will be either heavily or moderately involved with green building projects. That follows a 20 percent increase in such builders over the past year. Such growth is moving home building into the mainstream and brings home builders and homeowners to the brink of a new, environmentally and resource-conscious era.
Once considered a type of building for niche or fringe markets, the rising cost of energy coupled with increased public awareness of the importance of maintaining and conserving resources has pushed green into the forefront, say home builders. And, they say, it’s not a moment too soon.
Builders have always known about the importance of situating a home properly on a lot to take advantage of natural breezes, reduce solar gain on hot days, and maximize many other low-cost design features that are part of the green building movement. However, when energy was cheap, consumers were more interested in features and options that had little to do with energy efficiency. But now, the soaring cost of oil is causing all of us to face some hard facts.
The 1970s energy crisis turned some consumers away from traditional building practices and gave rise to new building products and techniques, like walls adjacent to earthen berms, grass roofs, geodesic domes and more. While historically these features have been popular with a select group of home buyers, they were rarely incorporated into mainstream building practices and held little mass appeal for consumers. Now that builders and consumers are more educated about the benefits of green building, things are starting to change.
Green building may have a strange sound to it, but it is steeped in common sense. Green designs focus on increasing energy efficiency, using materials appropriately, conserving water, and building a healthy and attractive home that will last. If you are looking for a traditional home instead of some of the homes listed above, you owe it to yourself to investigate how green building can be incorporated into your home design.
As growing numbers of consumers become aware of green products and more builders encourage their customers to use them, the number of green homes increases—and that in turn spurs the development of additional products, making the market ever bigger.
Green Built Home™ has been reviewing and certifying new homes since 1999 and is the only residential green building program doing so in Wisconsin. In fact, you would have to travel east to Michigan, west to Colorado, or south to Kansas to find another green building program to certify your new home.
Green Built Home™ is a voluntary green building initiative that reviews and certifies new homes and remodeling projects that meet sustainable building and energy standards. The program is implemented in partnership with the Madison Area Builders Association in cooperation with the Metropolitan Builders Association, other participating builders associations, leading utilities, and organizations that promote green building.
Green building makes sense, and it doesn’t hurt your pocketbook either. Learn more about green building at www.greenbuilthome.org.
This article has been provided by the Metropolitan Builders Association, a non-profit and non-partisan association which represents the building industry in the metropolitan Milwaukee area. The MBA develops and offers education for consumers as well as members. By establishing business ethics and industry standards, the MBA has earned a reputation as a trusted resource. Consumers enjoy our promotions for housing and housing products, while members take part in our professional and social activities throughout the year. Information for this article was provided by greenbuilthome.com.
