Asheville Green Building

    "The Asheville green building business is booming, they just cant build them fast enough!", I overheard a man say at my favorite local fair-trade coffee shop the other day.  And you know what, he was right.  The growing real estate development in Western North Carolina has absolutely shown us where the demand is: Green Sustainable Development.  And now contractors and real estate investors are scrambling to create the supply.  It is so refreshing to see a trend that reflects the healthy interests of the market.  It is also nice to know that local government is following suit, for example back in 2006 Asheville City Council passed a resolution ensuring that all new municipal buildings are up to LEED specifications.  

     Many different states now have some sort of program going beyond Energy Star specifications, setting a new standard for sustainable development.  North Carolina's version of the new standard is called the Healthy Built Homes Program.  Environmentally minded and profit minded builders are quickly adopting this new standard, as the numbers clearly show.  There are currently 97 Healthy Built Homes in Western NC and guess how many under construction, not 100, not 200, not even 300, but 492!!!  Can you believe it? Amazing!

     One of the best and most respected resources for green building in Asheville is the Western North Carolina Green Building Council.  The WNCGBC  began modestly eight years ago when five building visionaries gathered for dinner to share their common love for education about sustainable building practices.  The council has now grown into a major identity in the Asheville Green Community.

    It warms my heart.  I cant say for sure what is going to happen, but the future looks bright here in Asheville, North Carolina, the happiest city in America.