Archive for the ‘Green real estate’ Category
July 29th, 2008
The Costs of Not Building Green
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Written by Joel Bittle, courtesy of GreenBuildingElements.com
Despite the narrowing gap in cost between green building and traditional “to-code” building, most builders and home buyers still perceive the green option to be significantly more expensive. The reality is that due to increased builder education and an influx of affordable green building products, a building can be built green within the same budget as a non-green building. According to Clark Wilson, CEO of Austin based Green Builders, Inc., “It’s our job as builders to find those green products that don’t drive up the price of the home.”
Rick Hunter of the St. Louis green building firm Sage Homebuilders agrees: “With proper planning and a little experience, building green, even certified green, can be done for about the same cost. We are building certified green homes at the highest levels of certification for less than 1% cost increase.“ For an informative breakdown on how green buildings cost from 0 to 2% more than non-green buildings, check out “The True Costs of Building Green” from the folks at Buildings.com.
Now that green building is an affordable option, it’s time to change the way we frame the affordability debate. Too long have supporters of green building been on the defensive, forced to justify the costs of building more energy efficient, healthier, more sustainable homes. Instead of focusing on the costs of making your building green, let’s talk about the costs of not building green.
Energy
For those strictly interested in a financial reason to go green, the energy savings of a green building speak for themselves. With the help of the EPA’s ENERGY STAR program, advances in energy efficiency have resulted in savings of 40 to 60% over non-green buildings. Greater focus on appropriately sized HVAC systems, tight construction and ducts, effective insulation, and energy efficient windows can save a significant amount of energy and money. Add in the water savings from low-flow fixtures, tankless water heaters, very efficient appliances, greywater systems, water-friendly landscaping, and rainwater collection systems and it’s clear how wasteful a non-green building can be. Save a little bit of money now by ignoring these green options and you could be throwing away money for years.
Health
You wouldn’t buy baby bottles with potentially harmful chemicals or toys with toxic paint, so why would you buy a whole house with both? Paints, adhesives, and caulks can all contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs,) the greatest causes of indoor air pollution in the home, which have been tied to increased asthma rates. Wood products in the home can contain urea-formaldehyde, a known carcinogen that is banned in Canada and Europe and soon will be on its way out in California. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory studied indoor air pollution in homes and “found moderate to strong increases in respiratory and allergic health effects among children in homes with higher concentrations of selected VOCs.”
Companies that still manufacture products with urea-formaldehyde or other VOCs continue to do so because it costs them less to produce and consumers continue to choose the less expensive, but less healthy, choice. I’d like to think this is because of a lack of awareness of the health risks of such chemicals, rather than a conscious choice to expose their families to toxic chemicals. A green building not only reduces, if not eliminates, such toxic chemicals, it constantly cleans the air through efficient HVAC and ventilation systems.
The potential health risks of non-green buildings are reason enough for many to choose to build green.
Sustainability
Third in the green trinity is sustainability, the environmental cost of your building project. Green builders start by significantly reducing waste on building sites. While building materials that are not recycled or made from renewable materials might seem less expensive, the cost to the environment must be considered. And it’s not just the sustainability of the product that should be considered, but the company’s manufacturing process as well. Naysayers point out that individuals can do little to nothing to affect the environment, but if consumers begin to favor environmentally friendly products made from companies that have cleaned up their manufacturing process, including reducing waste and using renewable energy, then other companies will be forced to follow suit. Companies that have earned the Cradle to Cradle certification represent the height of sustainability.
If products were forced to label their environmental impact and embodied energy, consumers would think twice about many products. Green builders seek out durable materials that leave a lighter impact on the environment.
Parting Thoughts
The energy, health, and environmental costs make traditional, “to-code” building much too expensive. It will also be expensive for the builders themselves. As Rick Hunter points out, “Most builders have still not fully realized that we are entering a whole new era of building; the builders that make the changes now will be the ones that prosper, those that take the wait and see approach, will ultimately be hurt.”
The builders I know don’t like to be associated with anything shoddy or cheap, much less unhealthy, so it’s only a matter of time before green building practices are adopted as the norm. The term “builder quality” is used to describe the cheapest and lowest quality material available while still within code. Isn’t it time for builders to take back the term “builder quality” and make it something positive? Here’s your new slogan: Green: The New Builder Quality.
Related features:
Green House Plans from FreeGreen
Get with The Program: Green Building Trainings
Green Homes Made Affordable
Find green builders across the United States
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July 17th, 2008
Green Condos in the West
A couple of weeks back we did a feature on the great trend of green condo developments taking off all over the country– and we covered many developments in the East and South. Click here to learn about Green Condos in the Eastern U.S.
A green condo can be a wonderful alternative for (the vast majority of) those of us who cannot afford to build a new green single-family home. We want sustainable design, solar panels, energy-efficient appliances and so much more, but we can’t afford to build. Viola– the green condo!
This week we cover many of the excellent green condos available in the Western United States. There are so many to choose from it’s tough to pick just a selection to highlight here!
In the Los Angeles Area
Evo South is an exciting development in the heart of downtown LA. It is an urban tower of steel and glass– 23 stories with 311 residences. They are in the process of seeking LEED certification for the building. The units feature such eco-friendly elements as Bosch Energy Star appliances, low-flow water fixtures, Nature’s Choice carpeting and more.
If you prefer the beachy side of life, Green On 19 is a cool townhouse development in Santa Monica. These townhomes are the first of their kind in Santa Monica, and there are five units in the development. Architect Jesse Bornstein has integrated modern style, light and sustainability into his design. The units meet Energy Star New Home standards and feature solar power, bamboo and concrete floors, LED landscape lighting, xeriscape landscaping, and more.
In the San Francisco Bay Area
The Arterra is a relatively new development in the Mission Bay district. Arterra is also seeking LEED Certification. The Arterra has three sections: “sky”, a 16 story tower with city and bay views; “city”, a 9-level building with city views and green roof; and “park,” a 6-level building with two-story residences that come with private outdoor spaces. Altogether there are 269 units in the Arterra, and apparently 55% of them are already sold.
The Green City Lofts in Emeryville have 62 units of Energy Star Certified living. The steel superstructure and interior framing contains 25-90% post-consumer recycled content creating a more durable, earthquake-resistant, fire-resistant, rot-resistant, mold-resistant, and pest-resistant building. The units have radiant heating, no-VOC paints, double-pane windows, and cool metal roofs.
In Seattle
Enso is a thrilling condo development in Seattle. They are seeking LEED Gold certification. Units are for sale now and will be available in Spring 2009. The building is gorgeous and the units feature such eco-elements as concrete counters, sun shades, 100% recycled content carpet, no-VOC paints, and Ecoresin panels. The building also uses heat-pump technology, which is a very energy-efficient option for heating and cooling.
The Veer Lofts are bringing a kicky spirit to Seattle. They have three styles of lofts for sale– the “Flexi-loft” is 1 and 1/2 stories; The Full Loft is two stories and The Flat is a one-story. They are seeking LEED Certification and the units include daylighting, water-conserving fixtures, recycled building materials and drought-tolerant landscaping. Check out the funky website– it’s very fun!
In Portland
The Metropolitan in the Pearl District is a gleaming, modern tower that is a LEED Certified building. The Metropolitan balances luxury with a commitment to sustainable design and healthy living. The LEED Silver building has high performance energy efficient mechanical systems and glazing systems, storm water retention for landscape irrigation, the incorporation of durable, low-maintenance materials and the use of healthy materials and abundant natural ventilation for improved air quality.
In Denver
Just a few blocks from Coors Field in downtown Denver, 20|20 Lawrence Street features 60 residential condos atop an exciting mix of ground-level retailers. The development is LEED Gold (no small accomplishment!) The 50,000 watts of electrical power that will be produced from a roof-mounted photovoltaic system will represent one of the largest solar photovoltaic arrays in Colorado. The individual units feature sustainable hardwoods and low-VOC carpets and paints.
Click here to find green real estate for sale across the U.S.
Click here to find an EcoBroker to help you with your green real estate needs.
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July 2nd, 2008
Green House Plans from FreeGreen
Think you can’t afford an architect to design your green dream home? Wrong-ola. Now you can get free green home plans from FreeGreen.
FreeGreen’s mission is clear and simple: ”At FreeGreen we hope to encourage progressive building practices by making green home designs free for everyone.” The company is able to provide these free designs because they make money from companies looking to promote their green home materials/products (e.g., flooring from FLOR, tankless water heaters from Rinnai, GE Energy Star appliances, etc.) To learn more about FreeGreen’s history and business model, click here.
This is really an amazing service– you just go to the site, find the home design you want, and download the plans. It is amazingly easy. The site is quite new and has some little bugs, but you can still really do a lot with it. (For instance to download you need to click on the “virtual tour” link for the house you want.) In addition to downloading the drawing set for your builder, you can download the energy performance data for the home you have selected. You can also get a Spec Book of the building products and finishes that can be installed in your home.
They have three house plans they are featuring now and they will be adding more as time goes on. The one pictured at right above is the “Suburban Loft,” which can be 1,200 to 2,600 square feet. I’m personally partial to the Smart Box, pictured at left. It can be 1,000 to 2,200 square feet. They also offer a more traditional looking “Healthy Family” home which can be 1,800 to 3,000 feet. And you can customize any of these designs to your geographic location and sizing desires. Check out all of the plans here.
Related features:
Green Prefab Homes: Prefabulous!
Find companies designing and building prefab homes here
If you’re looking for a builder in your area, don’t forget to check our nationwide directory of green builders here.
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July 1st, 2008
Green Prefab Coming to a Market Near You!
If you can’t tell, we’re pretty hooked on the latest and greatest in green prefab design. One big problem, though, is that there’s a huge amount of noise and not all that much action - plenty of fabulous prefab designs and museum / conference exhibits, but very few actual installations (and even fewer mid-market installs, which is where prefab has to go in order to make a true difference in our housing stock).
Finally, the log jam seems to be breaking. Several firms have begun to produce green prefab homes for real people in small but growing numbers. This past month, Marmol Radziner, a prefab company here in Southern California, made a splash with some pretty showy installation videos on local media outlets. These homes are either a) high end or b) for the firm’s founders, so they’re still a ways away from mass-market. But, the videos do a good job of showing what elements make prefab homes unique (factory construction, rapid installation, modular components) and at least to me suggest that they’re not all that far away from being able to replicate these installations on a larger and thus less expensive scale.
So, take a few minutes out of work and check out this great video from the LA Times on the installation of one of the homes. And continue to hope for the day when all you have to do is walk down the street instead of visit the local museum to see a beautiful green prefab home near you. (our apologies for whatever ad the LA Times is running in front of this clip - when I last viewed it it was a Chevy Pickup ad - ugggggg). To see more great green prefab options, visit our green prefab directory here.
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June 27th, 2008
The Bottom Line: Green Home Upgrades & Home Values
With many cities experiencing a real estate “slump”, homeowners around the country are looking for ways to stand out from the slew of homes on the market, while improving their home’s resale value. Other homeowners are planning for the future: a future of ever-rising energy prices.
Regardless of your situation, you may be asking yourself if green home improvements increase the home’s value. The answer isn’t as straight-forward as some might hope.
The old rules still apply…
Before we dive in, there are a few things to consider when thinking about making home improvements – green or not. First, remember the three rules of real estate: location, location, location. The return on your investment will depend on the value of your house and others in the neighborhood, as well as your local housing market. Other factors like the quality of the workmanship, and how soon you move after making the improvements weigh in as well.
One man’s treasure…
That said, there are actually two different values to consider when judging the return on home improvements, according to Dr. Harold Hunt, a research economist at the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University: value in use and value in exchange.
To explain these concepts, let’s use a little story. Ted owns a home, but is looking to move soon. Ted is concerned about climate change. After some research, Ted decides to make a few eco-friendly improvements around his home that will increase its resale value, including a new energy-efficient air conditioning system and installing bamboo floors. This is exciting to Ted. He looks forward to bragging about going green to all of his friends, and selling the house at a premium.
Bill is looking to buy a house. Bill wants to get the best deal that he can on a new home, closer to work. When Bill sees Ted’s house, he is excited – with high energy costs, the new air conditioning system will save him money. Bill looks forward to seeing how much smaller his energy bills will be in his new home. Oh, and the new floors look nice, too.
OK, back to reality! Ted provides a very good example of value in use. His satisfaction in the green improvements can be measured in both monetary terms (saving money on energy) and non-monetary terms (reducing his impact by using bamboo versus hardwood flooring, and bragging to his friends). Unfortunately, Bill may not value the non-monetary rewards enough to pay a premium for them, illustrating value in exchange.
So how does Bill and Ted’s adventure apply to you? If you’re not planning on moving any time soon, invest in changes are eco-friendly and that you’ll most enjoy. Until green features become mainstream – and corresponding increases in home values can be measured – it’s hard to know what buyers will be willing to pay for. Just keep in mind that come moving time, green amenities and features may not appeal to everyone, but energy- and money-saving green features will.
Hedge your bet…
If you’re building a new house, or diving into a significant remodel, you might want to consider getting it certified as green. Come resell time, certification can provide buyers interested in all kinds of green benefits assurance that they are getting what they paid for.
Nationally, the US Green Building Council, developers of the LEED rating system, have put forth a new residential certification called LEED for Homes. LEED certified homes use less energy, water and natural resources, and their construction creates less waste, among other benefits. LEED is probably the most well-know certification standard in the US, mainly due to its widespread commercial acceptance. Certification by LEED comes with a significant amount of cache, though some feel that the requirements need refinement and that the registration process is cumbersome.
Other nationwide programs include the Environments for Living certification, which includes an energy usage guarantee, and the EnergyStar program, which focuses on home energy efficiency.
Other programs exist locally, like Austin Energy’s Green Building Program and Earth Advantage in Oregon and Boston. For homes certified green by Built Green in Colorado, Countrywide Home Loans even offers ½ point off for home buyers. There is also the Build It Green program in California. For links to programs in your state, check out the Public-Private Partnership for Advanced Housing Technology.
The Big Question: Solar
One of the biggest dreams that many green homeowners have is living “off the grid”, meaning that they can supply all of the energy needed to power their home. If you dream of this, or even if you just dream of reducing your electricity bills, solar is usually part of the equation.
Residential solar installations have always been an expensive prospect, but as technologies have improved and costs have come down, solar has become feasible for many. Still, full systems can cost upwards of $30,000, so it’s important to understand the economics up front. Fortunately, some incentives exist at the state and federal level.
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