Green! Green! Green!

You know "green" must be fashionable or you wouldn't see it nearly every time you turn on the television or pick up a magazine. Maybe you're thinking about building a new home or starting a remodel on your existing residence. How will "green" impact your project? Is "green" a good investment? Where do you start?



Well what do you expect me to say? I'm a custom home builder so I recommend you call a National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Certified Green Professional. Let one of us help you decide how much "green" is for you.



"Green " means lower home operating costs as well as a more comfortable and healthier home environment. It doesn't take your project longer to achieve "green", but it does mean initially investing more in order to receive "green's" long lasting benefits.



Two sources to learn more about "green" are the NAHB National Green Building Program @ http://www.nahbgreen.org/ and the EPA's Energy-Star program @ http://www.energystar.gov/. To comply with these two programs some of the requirements are expensive. You'll have to decide how much you are willing to invest. To qualify for these two programs an accredited third party "verifier" must inspect your home at critical stages of construction. Energy efficient windows, doors, insulation, furnaces, heat pumps, water heaters, plumbing fixtures and faucets, electrical fixtures, and low VOC paints are just a few areas I recommend you consider. How much does "green" add to the cost of your project? It's hard to answer that question without examining each area to ascertain its value to you. How long before I get a return on my investment? Same answer.


Should I just forget about "green"? Absolutely not! Anything and everything you choose to do "green" will be a smart choice for your family and in most cases will also help our environment.