Compliments of the Park City Environmental Task Committee and TheDailyGreen.com:
The housing market remains stagnant across most of the country, and analysts are worried about rising interest rates as well as widespread subprime mortgage lending. Some observers are beginning to ask if a beacon of light may be found in the burgeoning field of green building.
In green construction, designers and builders commit to minimizing waste, improving a building's efficiency in terms of energy and water use, using sustainable or recycled products, and protecting indoor air quality. Green features may help homeowners stand out from the competition. People definitely value energy efficiency, especially as utility costs continue to go up, it becomes greater value.
More than 97,000 homes have been built and certified by voluntary green building programs around the country since the mid-1990s, according to the National Association of Home Builders, representing a 50 percent increase from the group's 2004 survey. Further, more than half of NAHB's 235,000 members (representing about 80 percent of homebuilders) reported that they expect to be employing at least some green building practices by the end of the year.
A number of realtors around the country have reported increasing buyer requests for green homes. Many MLS’s are adding search options to include green features which is being driven by consumer demand.
Many new developments are now including green products and building as a standard feature in order to build a better and more marketable home. Many builders are building with green features and don’t even realize they are.
Owners of green homes tend to be happier than when they lived in more conventional built homes. Another interesting fact is that almost 40 percent of Americans who recently renovated their homes did so with some green products.
Now is the time to invest in energy efficiency and green improvements around your house. Start with little things like changing your light bulbs to CFL’s and using reusable grocery bags. Then, gradually add things like tankless water heaters, green flooring, low or no VOC paints and so forth.
Happy Greening!
PS. All the Villas at the Retreat are both Energy Star Rated and Build Green Utah Certified! Email me for more information...nikki.keye@raineyhomes.com
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