Top Five Bogus Reasons Not to Build Green
“IT COSTS TOO MUCH TO BUILD GREEN”
If the design and construction of the house are thought out in advance any additional cost shouldn’t be a deal breaker. The added value with a ‘green mortgage’ add to the quality of life, quality of the house, the power bills and may help with the resale of the house. The EPA estimates that for every dollar spend on energy efficiency will add twenty dollars to the value of the house.
“I’M BUILDING WHAT THE MARKET WANTS”
What the public wants is comfort, walking paths to local merchants, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, easy commutes, quality.
“IT’S TOO MUCH TROUBLE”
If your builder is educated and has the correct resources as well as the right frame of mind, building green is not too much trouble.
“NOBODY REALLY CARES ABOUT GREEN HOMES”
If you have turned on the radio, watched TV, gone to the movies, driven past the car lot or read the newspaper you are already aware that the world is thinking green.
“I’M TAKING A ‘WAIT AND SEE’ APPROACH”
There are 5000+ homes in NC that are Built Green. Soon this will not be the exception or the fad it will be the standard. Energy Efficiency is mandated in some countries such as Spain for all new construction.
It doesn’t have to cost an arm or a leg and it doesn’t have to be straw bales with mud.
Going green has gone mainstream.
WHAT IS GREEN BUILDING?
Green homes consider your pocketbook. They cost less to heat, cool and maintain.
Green building reduces pollutants and improves ventilation for better indoor air quality.
Green homes are quality homes. They’re built for durability, so they require less maintenance.
A green home is good for YOU and good for the environment. Green homes are available in our market for as low as $160,000.
WHY BUY A GREEN HOME?
Energy savings Indoor air quality Less Maintenance Peace of Mind
When you think green building do you think solar?? Green building does not mean solar.
What DOES count in ‘green building’?
Efficiency and planning.
Site planning (taking advantage of trees for shade or passive solar, etc.), water efficiency (on demand hot water heaters, low flow showerheads, catchment systems,etc), energy efficiency (energy star rated appliances, daylighting, etc) resource efficiency (limiting size of a home, reusing materials, using local materials, etc.) and perhaps most important of all…planning for indoor air quality.
The biggest misconceptions continue to be green is expensive and odd. An energy star rated home is a green home. There are new green homes in the Triangle starting at $160,000.
By the way, the April issue of Country Home Magazine names Durham and Asheville as two of the top 25 green places in America!
ENERGY EFFICIENT MORTGAGE GUIDE
GREEN BUILDERS IN CHAPEL HILL, PITTSBORO, DURHAM AND THE TRIANGLE NC AREA
Click For a Full List of NC Energy Star Builders
Cimarron Builders 888-303-2240
Chandler Design/Build (919) 304 – 5397
Earth Renewal Shelter (919) 837-5805
Landmark Renovation and Building Co. (919) 942-9214
M Squared Builders & Designers, Inc (919) 620-8535
Zinn Design Builders (919) 493-0099
GREEN BUILDING NEWS
Metal Sales Manufacturing Corporation, headquartered in Sellersburg, Indiana, is the first manufactured in North America to go 100% lead free with it MS Colorfast 45 and PVDF color finishes in its full line of metal panels.
Metal Sales offers a complete line of metal roof, wall and fascia panel systems for the commercial, architectural, industrial, residential and agricultural markets.
Manufactured to Energy Star guidelines in a wide range of style and structures, Metal Sales steel panels provide customers tax credits, LEEDcredits for architects, as well as the benefits of steel with a 45 year paint warranty. Visit www.MetalSales.us.com
GREEN BUILT COMMUNITIES
LINKS OF INTEREST
General Green Building Resources
NC Green Building Case Studies
NCSU Cooperative Extension Brochures for Homes
Environmental Building News- BuildingGreen
Smart Communities Network
Insite Builders Resources – All Things Small, Simple and Sustainable
National Financial Resources
Fannie Mae Foundation
The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE)
Energy Resources
NC Solar Center
US Dept. of Energy: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
NC Energy Star
Advanced Energy
Energy Star
Top 10 Tips for Energy Efficient New Homes (B.E.S.T)
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor Air, Radiation and Radon-EPA information
NCSU Cooperative Extension Brochures
Indoor Environmental Quality
NCSU Cooperative Extension Brochures
Products and Materials
NCSU Cooperative Extension Brochures
Environmental Building News- BuildingGreen
Green Spec Product Directory, Green Building Advisor
The Greener Home
Home Maintenance Resources
NCSU Cooperative Extension Brochures
Consumer Reports Green Cleaning Website
Affordable Housing Resources
System Vision Program
NCSU Cooperative Extension Brochures
Fannie Mae Foundation
Commercial Resources
NC Triangle US Green Building Council
NC High Performance Guidelines for Commercial Buildings
Real Estate Resources
Environmental Considerations before you buy real estate
Green Homes For Sale
Renewable Energy Resources
NC Solar Center
NC Green Power
US Dept. of Energy: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Chapel Hill Solar
| These Useful Links Courtesy of NC Solar Center |
| North Carolina Agencies & Organizations |
| Database and Website Sponsors |
Guidelines for Building Design and Construction
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| National & Regional Organizations |
| US Government Agencies & Programs |
| International Organizations |
| Specific Topic: Construction Waste Management |
| Specific Topic: Daylighting |
| Specific Topic: Energy Efficient Lighting |
| Specific Topic: Hazard Mitigation |
| Specific Topic: Product Search Engines |
| Specific Topic: Recycled Products |
| Specific Topic: South Facing Orientation |