Built Green - The Good, The Bad and the Indifferent
Much has been said about Eco-friendly homebuilding in recent years but there have been few discussions about the relative merits of the various options that go into making a home Built Green®.
As the Project Manager for the Built Green Idea House in Issaquah Highlands East of Seattle, I had the opportunity to see first-hand how the local Built Green program operated. The after-action review of the project and discussions with the buyer of the home, revealed interesting truths about the process.
First, the net marginal cost of the Built Green features in this home compared to what would have been chosen in a neutral setting, was more than 15% of the selling price. The builder profit was thus reduced to less than 3% of the selling price. In retrospect we were fortunate that it was not worse financially. The three Built Green demonstration houses that I have personal knowledge of, built subsequent to the Idea House, were all financial disasters. All went unsold for years after completion with none coming close to the cost of construction (names withheld to protect the guilty).
It proves the builder’s adage -
“If you build a house that you really like, the market will let you keep it.”
Second, elements we thought would be attractive to a buyer turned out in some cases to be just the opposite. One of the first things the buyer asked me when he contracted on the home was how soon I could remove the Green Roof planters and, by-the-way, could I take the rainwater cisterns away also.
The take-away for me was an understanding of what was good, bad and indifferent about the various elements of Built Green, then and now.
First the Good:
- Education – Contractors’ workshops, program orientations and homeowner tips / maintenance materials;
- Indoor Air Quality – Low toxic / Low VOC (Volatile organic compounds) paints and finishes; pre-finished wood floors; low-toxic carpets; passive cross-ventilation windows; radiant-heat (ductless) systems;
- Energy Efficiency – Exterior wall insulation; thermal doors and windows; energy efficient appliances; 95% efficient gas furnaces; air-sealing techniques; tank-less hot water heaters.
Now the Bad:
Use of recycled products in flooring, counters and other finish building materials; Green Roofs; on-site windmills; geo-thermal systems; pervious materials for driveways and patios; composting toilets (a personal favorite); grey-water plumbing systems; elimination of fireplaces; elimination of carpet.
…and the Indifferent:
Water conservation – grey-water irrigation, low-flow faucets and toilets; recycling of construction waste materials; photo-voltaic solar systems; energy efficient light fixtures; preservation of existing vegetation as landscape; drainwater heat recovery; heat recovery ventilation; natural light; eliminate air conditioning;
One of my favorite check-list options and one not to miss here in the Northwest – outdoor clothesline.
Due in part to the housing collapse and the subsequent austerity of the housing market, Built Green has lost some its energy (no pun intended). A survey of the 100 current builder neighborhoods in the Puget Sound found at the Newhomelink website, shows that only 23% promote Built Green or related programs with most choosing to focus instead on issues such as affordability, livability and practical themes more resonant to their current home buyers.
If you wish to discuss why Built Green is Good, Bad and Indifferent, please contact us to comment or forward questions.
http://www.builtgreenwashington.org/
http://www.issaquahhighlands.com/ideahome/
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