Sell the Green Bling
Belcher said the other two largest potential stumbling blocks to going green have been selling the green concept to dubious customers and turning concept into practice on the job site. Although these are the most crucial aspects a builder needs to get right when switching over to green practices, Belcher doesn't view them as obstacles any longer.
"I sell the customers with what I call the 'green bling.' I tell them about things like photovoltaics, structural insulated panels, and the fact that lenders are raising the value of green homes by as much as 18%," says Belcher. "And when I tell them we are going to build a 3,500 square-foot home and their electric bill won't be more than $125 a month, it gets them going pretty quick."
English and Belcher offer a couple of tips for builders to keep in mind as they go green:
- Getting the trades on board was more of an issue in the past than it is today, as the green trend generates information, products, workshops and buzz. Still, English says, builders switching to green should plan on spending extra time training the trades and supervising crews on site.
- Belcher advises builders to tell their trade contractors from the very start exactly what they are doing—and why. "These guys pride themselves on being craftsmen, and they appreciate being involved in these advanced building techniques."
"I can say that using the Green Building Guidelines has improved my bottom line dramatically. I am not wasting a thing," says Belcher. "After my first few green houses, I was thinking, 'Why haven't I been doing this all along?'"
Richard Wall is a freelance writer based in St. Augustine, Fla.
Online Resources for Green Building
NAHB Green Building
Building Science Corporation
Department of Energy's Building America Program
Advanced Energy
The Energy and Environmental Building Association
The American Lung Association
Green Building Initiative
