Green Homes are gaining in popularity as more people become committed to maintaining the environment and the world we live in.  But besides just being a popular buzz-word, what does "Green" mean when it comes to housing?

Homes can be built Green, or they can be renovated to become Green. There are many ways to make a difference - the challenge is to keep up to date on the technology, the breakthroughs and the inovations in home building to realize the benefits that come with Green Building.

Break It Down - in the most simplest of terms, a Green Home use less energy, water, natural resources and is considered healthier for the family living there than your average home.

Benefits of a Green Home - There are many benefits to be realized by living in a Green Home.  One of the biggest benefits of using less energy translates to lower utility bills for the homeowner.  LEED (The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) has developed the HERS ranking system for Green Homes.  HERS, or Home Energy Rating System, ranks LEED certified homes and estimates these homes have a 30 - 60% energy savings over non-LEED-certified homes - a BIG reason to go GREEN!

It is expected by the year 2010, over 10% of all new construction will be Green built.  National and custom builders are making a concentrated effort to incorporate Green features into their homes - and buyers are loving it.  While not every homeowner wants or needs a top-to-bottom fully certified Green home, many are requesting more common features such as energy star certified appliances, tankless hot water heaters and HE HVAC systems.  Why not? Small changes can make a big difference in energy bills and even in peace of mind, knowing you are making an effort to protect the environment!

Yvonne Beal, Chapel Ridge Realty
Custom Building Specialist

Thinking of building a new home and need more information on builders, Green Building, or the custom build process in general? Give me a call at 919-542-5250! Custom building and customer service is my specialty!