I received an email trumpeting "Charter Goes Green!" the other day. Skeptic that I am, I was doubtful. I've seen "going green" claims before...
Well, here's my analysis of the latest green claim by a major builder:
Good: They got involved with Energy Star (a federal energy efficiency program)
Not So Good: The marketing looks like generic facts about energy conservation from the government Energy Star materials.
Good: Having a large builder such as this promoting energy efficiency in homes will (probably) spur other builders to investigate.
(OK, that's all the good I can think of).
Not so Good: A company this big had the opportunity to REALLY lead in the development of actual green homes. Unfortunately, the truth is that this company is not building a green home now, nor have they that I'm aware of (and I would love to be corrected on this).
There's a BIG difference between getting a traditional-design home rated "energy star" and actually building a home using green principles. Just a few of the principles that any newbie to the field could let this builder know about:
- Site layout to promote passive solar radiation
- Home design to minimize excess square footage and encourage functional spaces
- Water management at the system level (not just "flow limiters" on faucets).
- Grey water reuse (for toilets, irrigation, exterior use)
- Active solar design to reduce/eliminate utility demand (gas, water & electric).
- Incorporation of recycled materials that reduce/eliminate offgassing and waste
- Use of new technologies in roofing, exterior finish and framing to reduce reliance on oil-based products, etc.
I could go on, but none of THESE aspects were trumpeted. The focus is all about recodifying stuff they're already doing (good things, by the way), to present the "going green" message which is so the rage right now.
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Really, I see three stages in the development of a true green home builder:
Stage 1: They're doing pretty much what they've always been doing but have been approached by some vendor reps who've sold them on some new materials, etc. The temptation to "greenwash" is very high and easily seen through by knowledgable homebuyers.
Stage 2: They decide as a company to do some research and seek out new building materials and practices and, to the degree to which $$ impact allow, make some fundamental changes in their traditional approach to homebuilding. The company marketing should reflect the thought process at the management level and the concrete steps being taken to incorporate green. It's important to note that knowledgeable homebuyers would still not consider this builder a "green homebuilder".
Stage 3: They make a commitment at the mission level to embark on a comprehensive re-evuation of their materials and practices, bring in progressive architects to guide them, and begin to envision totally different communities & dwellings. These builders (especially as they can point to completed projects) have the ability to market themselves as having "gone green" because they really have. The company culture has changed.
As you might imagine, there are a lot of Stage 1s and Stage 2s around, mostly somewhere between 1 and 2. These companies have to be honest with themselves and the knowledgable public and market themselves appropriately.
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Energy Star, while a good first step, is rapidly being eclipsed by more comprehensive building programs like Environments for Living. This builder should check out their consumer website and builder specs websites. Another great option is to get some key personnel set up as Certified Green Professionals through NAHB...
The Verdict:
What this builder is doing is building a high performance, well-built product that's not particularly progressive otherwise. A strong stage 1, perhaps.
Let's see how far they're willing to take this journey.
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