"Green" building trend driven by rising energy prices

Consumers choose "green buildings" for one reason - to decrease their energy costs, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

NAHB conducted a survey which asked 800 people nationwide how important certain items would be if they were buying a new home or remodeling.

Nearly two-thirds or 64 percent of those polled said that "reduced energy costs" would be the most important. The second-highest scoring reason, at 55 percent, was "because it would be healthier."

Nearly half the sample, 49 percent , say that using sustainable materials and procedures to build a home was "the right thing to do for the environment."

Georgia has a "green building program" called Earthcraft which is ajoint project of the Atlanta home builders and Southface Energy Institute. To find an earthcraft home, ask your Realtor to search that term in the multiple listing service. Or seek out an EcoBroker, a Realtor who is certified in understanding the impact of energy efficient building techniques.

The NAHB is banking on its voluntary National Green Building Program, which will be launched Feb. 15 at the International Builders Show in Orlando, Fla., will paves the way for authentic yet cost-effective green building.

The program guidelines incorporate new technologies, advances in building science and materials for insulation, windows and other components mean that homes are significantly more energy efficient than they used to be.

A big reason why home buyers choose energy efficiency as a motivator is because heating and air conditioning bills can "really empty our wallets." But energy efficiency has to be affordable, too, "so home buyers' money can go to green features, not green program fees."

To be certified under the NAHB program, homes must meet energy-efficiency levels that are at least equivalent to Energy Star, the federal Environmental Protection Agency program.

Since 2000, EPA has certified 750,000 homes nationwide as "energy star", indicating that they are at least 15 percent more efficient than required by current energy codes.

Green is not just about energy efficiency. NAHB president Catalde emphasized that builders should also be thinking about water efficiency, resource efficiency and indoor environmental quality.

"When a green home doesn't look or feel significantly different from one built using more traditional construction methods, when builders have the tools and resources to build them without significant materials or labor cost increases, and when consumers readily accept the finished product, then green has arrived -- and that's why the NAHB National Green Building Program will bring green to the mainstream," the NAHB president said

With the program debuting in February, the NAHB was interested in how its almost 200,000 members would react to it. A membership survey found that 90 percent were interested in participating in a voluntary certification program.

Catalde said the survey confirmed "that voluntary, market-driven programs are the best way to encourage the growth of green building."

Almost 80 percent of the builders and developers surveyed identified the NAHB program as the one that they would most trust over other national programs such as the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED-H rating system.

"We are committed to taking green building into the mainstream in a manner that keeps it affordable, which is key to its market success," Catalde said.

Survey questions also focused on green land development practices. More than 80 percent of respondents listed leaving as many trees as possible as the most important consideration when developing land for new home construction.

Other practices builders say are most important include minimizing site disruption (69 percent), making greater use of recycled materials in home building (59 percent) and preserving open space by building on smaller lots (54 percent).