My name is Paul Gordon. I'm a new home builder based in Shreveport, Louisiana, and I want to talk about green building. I'm not the area's foremost expert on the subject---in fact, I'm just getting into it. For the last ten or twelve months I've been reading everything in sight about energy efficient design and green building techniques, and I recently attended a two-day seminar put on by the National Association of Home Builders www.nahb.org called "Green Building for Building Professionals".
I've never been what you'd call a tree hugger. I don't drive a hybrid or compost my poop or even recycle cans (yet). But I do want to build the best home I can build, given my local market and what buyers here will accept and pay for. And I've come to the conclusion that homes built "green" are homes built better.
To me green building is all about producing a great performing home. It's about reducing utilities costs, improving indoor air quality, increasing occupant comfort, and reducing home maintenance and repairs. By producing a home that is cheaper to operate and healthier for it's occupants, you are also producing a home that is better for the environment. Reduced consumption of utilities means less pollution, and I like the idea that I can do something to benefit the environment that will last for decades (or as long as the home I build is standing).
I've watched with fascination the HGTV specials about houses in Arizona with negative electric bills. When I see stuff like that I always wonder 'how much did that system cost?' 'How long would it take to get your money back on something like that?' 'And how well would that sort of thing work in this climate?' There is always a tradeoff. Ultimately there is a limit to what people can and/or will pay. As a homebuilder, I have to weigh my desire to build the best home I can against consumers' desires to purchase a home they can afford. Likewise, homebuyers have to weigh their desire to live in an environmentally friendly, energy conscious, and healthy home against their budget and borrowing capabilities.
In the world of green building, there are many different levels (or shades) of green. How green is too green? How green is green enough? I guess it depends on your level of commitment and the size of your wallet. For one homebuyer, an extra $1,500 for more efficient vinyl windows may be too much to spend. Someone else may have no problem spending $20,000 on a gray water collections system, because they believe it is important for the environment and therefore worth the investment.
At this point, in this market, I think buyers stop short of $20,000 gray water collection systems. But they have heard of green building. They have seen the green peacock on their TVs (this week on NBC) and heard Al Gore talk about our "planet in peril". I believe there is a growing number of people in this area and throughout the country who are starting to think about their personal effect on the planet. If home builders like myself can show them a way they can benefit the earth while benefiting themselves, I'm betting they will do it.
I'd like to talk to anyone interested in building green homes, buying green homes or selling green homes. I'd love to interact with other builders about their green building experiences. And I'd love to talk to owners of recently built new homes about their experiences, especially with regard to the energy saving features in their homes and resulting utility bills. Thank you for reading this post. I hope you'll come back.
2 comments:
Paul:
Great post. As you're aware I live in an older home that was remodeled several years ago. We blew insulation into the exterior walls and took some other steps, but I'd say that my house is far from green.
The steps I'd like to take in the future are: 1) replace all the older windows. Modern double-paned windows would be much more efficient. 2)Tankless water heaters. Currently I have two 40 gallon tanks. That's 80 gallons of water I'm keeping hot all the time. 3)Reinsulate the floor. This is a pier and beam house will little insulation between us and the ground.
I'm sure you can help me with more suggestions.
Money is the key here. Sure it will save me in the long run, but I can't spend so much in the short run that I get myself in trouble. Budgeting matters with something like this.
Thanks again for the great post.
Steve,
Thanks for your comments. There are a thousand ways you can make an older home like yours more energy efficient. All of the steps you listed would help. However, in the interest of getting the most bang for your buck, I would start in the attic. Take a look up there to see how much insulation you have. If you can see the ceiling joists poking out above the insulation, you probably need more insulation. Also, look for spots where insulation is thin or missing. Any gaps in the insulation will allow expensive conditioned air from you home to leak into your attic. Adding blown cellulose or fiberglass insulation to most attics will cost around $500 to $800 if you hire a crew. You can do it yourself for $200 to $300, but it's a hot, dirty job. I've done it myself once, and I won't do it again. Also, make sure the attic ventilation is not blocked, and if you have turbines on your roof, make sure they spin freely. Check the air ducts to make sure they don't have any tears or leaks, and make sure they are fastened securely at both ends. Many times when dealing with older homes I have found problems in the attic that cost nothing to fix, but made a big difference in utilities. I hope this information helps you. I'm planning to do a detailed post on steps to make older homes more efficient, and I'll be sure to discuss the items you mentioned: tankless water heaters, floor insulation, and modern insulated windows.
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