Green used to be just another color.

Transcription

1 What is a SUSTAINABLE HOUSE? By Brad Broberg Green used to be just another color. Now like good schools and granite countertops it s also a primary consideration for homebuyers. That s true even when buyers aren t sure what green means. Some people know what to expect, but other people say, I want a green home. What does that entail? said REALTOR Chris Boardman, a certified EcoBroker with Intero Real Estate Services in Santa Cruz, Calif. Boardman s training he earned his EcoBroker certification through EcoBroker International makes it easy for him to answer that question. In fact, he often answers it before it s asked. It s a reflex. When I walk through a house with people, I ll point out that the windows are outdated or the attic needs insulation, he said. Yet not everybody is so well-versed. Greenwashing the act of misleading consumers about environmental practices, products or services is an ongoing problem. Some home listings put green in there and there s really nothing green about it at all, Boardman said. For buyers hoping to separate the green from the greenwashed, one bit of good news is the increasing number of local green certification programs. More and more builders, seeking to promote their green building practices, are joining these programs, which ensure homes reflect at least some shade of green. The catch is the systems aren t widely recognized outside their regions, and they don t use a uniform rating or certification process. As the demand for green homes grows, confusion about what it means to be green is cause for concern. As the demand for green homes grows, confusion about what it means to be green is cause for concern. Two organizations are helping buyers, builders and REAL- TORS unravel the green riddle by offering nationwide green home rating systems. Late last year, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) launched Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Homes. The National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) launched the National Green Building Program in February of 2008, which includes the National Green Building Standard (NGBS) begun last year. While the nuts and bolts may differ, the basic mechanisms of the two programs both voluntary are similar. Each mandates certain green features, awards points for optional features, requires independent inspections and has different levels of green certification. Whichever 4 ON COMMON GROUND SUMMER 2008

2 A 2007 survey by NAHB revealed that reduced energy costs was the number one reason respondents would choose to buy a green home. program a builder chooses, homes built to NGBS or LEED specifications deliver more than a green sheen. What makes a home truly green? Common benchmarks include: Energy (effective insulation; high-performance windows; high-efficiency lighting). Indoor air (VOC-free finishes, adhesives and carpeting; radon-resistant construction; mechanical and natural ventilation). Water (low-flow toilets and showerheads; rainwater harvesting; graywater recycling). Landscaping (little or no lawn; native plants; limited irrigation). Building products (materials with recycled content; salvaged materials; lumber from certified forests). Siting/land use (conservation of natural features; compact development; access to transit). Look for those features to become more and more mainstream with every passing year. By 2010, green homes will account for 10 percent of the new homes built annually, up from 2 percent in 2006, according to a McGraw-Hill SmartMarket Report. Besides the growing number of new homes being built green, many existing homes are getting a green makeover. Late last year, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) began offering an exam that remodelers can take to become a Green Certified Professional. NARI also offers a 12-session green education course that includes energy efficiency and conservation, indoor air quality, efficient use of resources, recycling of demolition material and renewable energy sources. While NARI does not certify projects, the NGBS being developed by NAHB will include a rating system for green remodels. In addition, the USGBC and the American Society of Interior Designers Foundation 5

3 Glenwood Park in Atlanta, Ga., is an entire community built around green building principles. recently rolled out REGREEN, a set of guidelines for green remodeling projects. REGREEN does not include a rating system. However, remodeling projects in which a home is gutted can seek a LEED for Homes rating. Many of the benchmarks for new green homes are equally applicable to green makeovers. Specific tips from the USGBC include: harnessing solar power; plugging air leaks; using readily renewable materials such as bamboo; switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs; replacing forced-air heating with radiant floor heating; installing a programmable thermostat; and switching to Energy Star appliances (more about that later). Right now, the green feature with the most buzz is energy efficiency. A 2007 survey by NAHB revealed that reduced energy costs was the number one reason respondents would choose to buy a green home or remodel their existing home to make it greener. Next came because it would be healthier and it s the right thing to do for the environment. If energy efficiency is a builder, buyer or remodeler s sole goal, the Energy Star program is a third nationwide certification option. Energy Star is very, very specifically designed to define highly energy-efficient products, said Sam Rashkin, national director of Energy Star for Homes. We set the bar. Energy Star is a joint program of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Ener- Energy Star is very specifi cally designed to defi ne highly energy-effi cient products. 6 ON COMMON GROUND

4 gy (DOE). When it debuted in 1992, the first products it developed energy standards for were computers and computer monitors. Since then, Energy Star has established performance standards for more than 50 product categories, and the Energy Star label is now displayed on thousands of individual products. Many Energy Star standards encompassing everything from windows to lighting to ventilation are referenced in the scorecards of local and national green home rating systems. In addition, builders can now earn an Energy Star label for an entire house. To qualify for an Energy Star for Homes label, a home must be at least 15 percent more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Unit Code. It also must include additional energy-saving features these typically make homes percent more energy efficient than standard homes. A lot of green building programs use Energy Star as a blueprint, said Rashkin. We provide a platform for defining energy efficiency. In fact, both LEED and NGBS demand that homes achieve the same 15 percent improvement in energy efficiency as Energy Star. A lot of green building programs use Energy Star as a blueprint. Courtesy of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Boyd Loving Pedestrian-friendly walkways are just one of the many benefits that sustainable communities offer, as highlighted by the Hudson River Greenway in New York. SUMMER

5 Energy Star recently added a related label for indoor air quality and is creating another for water conservation. Together with energy efficiency, they form a bundle of standards that green building programs could use as a cornerstone for explaining their own rating system, Rashkin said. After 15 years, Energy Star has built strong brand awareness. In a recent survey, 70 percent of the respondents recognized the label. We offer a very clear definition to consumers, he said. Brand awareness is also a goal of the new green home programs launched by the USGBC and the NAHB. They both very much want to be THE green program in the marketplace, Rashkin said. There s a lot of debate about who s the greenest. We stay away from it. We can work with both programs. If LEED sounds familiar, that s because the USGBC introduced the program in 2000 as a way to rate the sustainability of new commercial buildings. Over the years, it s gained wide acceptance, leading to requests that it be expanded. Many people were saying it would be great to have a certification program for home construction, said Ashley Katz, communications coordinator for the USGBC. After concluding a pilot phase in spring 2007, LEED for Homes made its formal debut in the fall of that year. So far, more than 500 homes have been rated, with another 1,000 plus in the pipeline. That s a drop in the bucket compared to the program s goal. We expect to have one million certified homes by 2010, said Katz. With green homes expected to account for 10 percent of new home construction by 2010, that s not as farfetched as it sounds, she said. People are becoming more and more interested in green homes and green building. They re wondering, how do I know if my home is green? said Katz. That s what LEED offers. Cox and Dinkins, a professional civil engineering and land surveying firm based in Columbia, S.C., developed the first commercial LEED certified building in South Carolina Brian Dressler Photography 2003 Brian Dressler Photography 8 ON COMMON GROUND

6 LEED ratings are managed by a network of LEED for Homes Providers local organizations with experience supporting green building. Residents of The Waters community in Montgomery, Ala., enjoy a warm day on their porch, which was specifically built to shade the interior rooms to cut down on energy costs during the hot summer. LEED ratings are managed by a network of LEED for Homes Providers local organizations with experience supporting green building. They contract with the USGBC to market the program, review scorecards and oversee independent inspections. Builders earn points for meeting LEED requirements in nine categories: innovation and design process; location and linkages; sustainable sites; water efficiency; energy and atmosphere; materials and resources; indoor environmental quality; awareness and education; and energy and atmosphere. Depending on a project s total points, the USGBC awards a rating of certified, silver, gold or platinum. The NGBS is based on Model Green Home Building Guidelines the NAHB published in 2005 to help its member associations create local green building programs such as Triangle Green in North Carolina and the Green Building Initiative in St. Louis, Mo. Together, NAHB member associations have rated more than 100,000 green homes. The idea behind the NGBS is to offer builders another rating option that is uniform as well as more demanding, said Calli Schmidt, director of environmental communications with the NAHB. You can still build a green home with the [2005] Guidelines, said Schmidt. But the new standard reflects the most recent in technology and knowledge. A key difference: ratings under the NGBS require an independent inspection. Ratings by local associations may or may not. Like LEED, the NGBS relies on local professionals to manage the rating process including inspections. The NAHB Research Center awards final certification bronze, silver, gold and emerald based on points awarded in seven categories: water efficiency; energy efficiency; resource efficiency; lot and site development; indoor environmental quality; global impact; and homeowner education. Working with the International Code Council, the NAHB is seeking certification from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for the NGBS a process that ensures extensive public comment and consensus decisions. This will be the first and only residential green building standard certified by ANSI, said Schmidt. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: United States Green Building Council (LEED for Homes): National Association of Home Builders (NGBS): Energy Star for Homes: Brad Broberg is a Seattle-based freelance writer specializing in business and development issues. His work appears regularly in the Puget Sound Business Journal and the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. SUMMER