Watch the video on Green Design.
The demand for "green" or sustainable building is beginning to increase as it gains popularity among consumers. With green building resulting in energy-efficient housing, helping to protect the environment, and resulting in large cost savings, prospective homebuyers are beginning to turn an ear toward this new way of designing homes. Even though a green home may cost more upfront, the extra cost is well worth the eventual payoff. A home with green innovations can cost several hundred dollars less each month to operate.
Green building is a compelling new way to look at homebuilding. Today, builders are beginning to incorporate green practices into their design and construction of homes. For example, builders that follow the principles laid out by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on preventing stormwater pollution during construction are helping to reduce the environmental impact of jobsites. But they aren't just helping the environment; preventing stormwater pollution from sediment and non-sediment pollutants, such as trash, sand, and chemicals, also helps builders avoid serious fines from the EPA. As more people become concerned with preserving our natural resources, such as the bodies of water most affected by stormwater pollution, builders that properly market their "green" philosophy will be able to positively differentiate themselves from their competition.
In addition to stormwater pollution prevention, builders are designing and constructing homes to be more resource-efficient and energy-efficient. Resource efficiency means carefully selecting materials that are environmentally responsible. These materials benefit homebuyers, because they're designed to be structurally superior to traditional materials. Engineered studs, manufactured roof trusses, and wood floor joists all use less raw lumber and are stronger and more durable than dimensional lumber.
Energy efficiency, on the other hand, means using products or systems that use less energy to do the same or a better job than conventional products or systems. Builders who use a "whole-house" approach to design and construction view homes as a system of parts working together to create a comfortable, energy-efficient home. For this approach, builders design homes by taking all of the materials and systems specified in a home design, such as the ductwork, ventilation, and insulation, and coordinate them to deliver the optimum home performance. As energy costs continue to rise, builders who can demonstrate a commitment to sustainability can have a competitive edge in today's market.
Green building also includes creating a healthy indoor environment in a home. With allergies affecting nearly one-third of all Americans, good indoor air quality is an attractive feature for many homebuyers. Like preserving the environment during construction and creating homes that are resource and energy efficient, designing homes with a healthy indoor environment adds a competitive edge to the services and products a builder offers to potential customers.
To enter the green building market, builders should carefully consider how committed they are to sustainable building, and be prepared to communicate their intent to potential customers. Here are three ways a builder can approach the sustainable building market:
- First, use sustainable materials on a house by house basis. Smaller and custom homebuilders who are familiar with "green" building practices can help homeowners evaluate the benefits and costs associated with non-traditional building techniques. This approach is best for builders who have flexible suppliers and trade contractors. By offering potential homeowners the choice to "upgrade to green," builders have the opportunity to ease into "green" building slowly and only as the individual homeowner requests it.
- Next, develop a "green" philosophy. Though it may require an entirely new marketing approach, many mid-size builders are looking for new marketing approaches and switching from a "low price" strategy to an approach of sustainability. By fully exploring the design and construction benefits sustainable materials can provide, builders can market their "green" philosophy as being environmentally conscious before, during, and after construction. This can mean a higher resale price for the homeowner and significant cost savings on energy bills.
- A unique movement called "green developments" is also gaining popularity for larger builders. Often built on brownfields or blighted areas, development companies looking to take advantage of the environmental niche market will build entire communities with a "green" or sustainable philosophy. A proven, environmentally responsible track record for a builder can increase their chances of being selected as the builder of choice in a new community development.
In the past, the only ways a builder could gain a competitive advantage in a strong building market would be with price, quality, or customer service. While these are sound reasons for a homeowner to choose a builder, it's a safe bet that every builder will claim to have the highest quality and best customer service. And if a builder can't compete with another builder's price, they generally have a hard time convincing prospective customers that they really are the best choice. By understanding the demand and benefits of "green" home construction and by properly educating potential customers, builders can create a competitive advantage for themselves in a sometimes rough market.
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