By Linda Kast
The question is not whether you want to go green, but how green you want to be, says Michael Strong, CGR, CAPS, of Brothers Strong, Inc., a Houston-based design-build firm. Green is here to stay, and Strong suggests that builders get with it.
In fact, the consensus among experts is that we've reached the tipping point — the moment when an idea hits critical mass. Consider the following:
- The National Association of Home Builders predicts that 50 percent of the country's builders, who account for 15 percent of the new-housing stock, will be certified green by the end of 2007.
- McGraw-Hill Construction anticipates an almost $17 billion increase in spending on green-built homes and remodeling projects over the next three years.
- More than eight out of 10 consumers who own a green-built home are likely to recommend a green home to others. Plus, they all say it's the right thing to do.
Volume, revenue and doing the right thing aside, builders with experience know there are challenges. For one thing, consumer awareness and demand depend on education and training. According to green-building consultant Carl Seville, a former Atlanta green builder and remodeler, "The gap between the consumer and the builder results from marketing dollars spent on products."
The conundrum, Seville says, can be explained this way: "Homeowners who are considering whether to spend money on granite countertops or better air sealing will likely go with the granite. Almost all products have a green aspect, if they're done right. But the stuff that's the most important is not sexy. So much of green building is in the process."
A push from peers
Industry associations are heeding this call. The U.S. Green Building Council provides its members with workshops and educational material that lead to professional accreditation in its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, a voluntary rating system for green-built homes. The National Association of the Remodeling Industry offers a Green Certified Professional program. Members who complete 16 hours of education, have a three-year history of doing green projects, and have been remodeling for five years earn the designation. The program covers everything from building sciences to specific products.
Dan Taddei, NARI's director of education and certification, believes energy bills are driving the consumer's interest in green remodeling. "If I'm going to remodel," he says, "I want some payback." And with the green movement being driven by consumers, the industry has to deliver.
So how much will the process add to the cost of a new home? That may depend on which standards are used. When applied to the residential market, USGBC's LEED guidelines could add more than $1,000 to the cost of a new home, potentially eliminating as many as 100 new-home customers. But the proposed National Green Building Standard, a joint effort between the International Code Council and NAHB, could allow production builders to meet or exceed energy-efficiency and indoor-air-quality standards without increasing costs.
"Building green is a personal passion for us," Strong says. "We build for custom clients who are less price-sensitive." However, in the production marketplace, he says, extra margins can be made with a combination of standard features along with upgrades.
For the most part, builders will need to assess how deep they want to go when adding green to their culture. "You don't just go green on the floor," Strong cautions. "You go green with every system and every product. Then you look internally and see if your corporate philosophy aligns. Are you recycling, using bio-diesel fuel for your trucks, and making decisions that match up?"
"Right now, this is a big deal," Taddei says. "But in 10 years, it will be the way we do business."
Linda Kast has spent more than 15 years covering home design, building and remodeling for trade publications and major consumer magazines. A native of Chicago, she resides in West Des Moines, Iowa, with her husband, a remodeler.
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