GreenYour.com

When you buy a certified green home (new or remodeled), you have assurance that you’ll save between 15 and 30 percent on energy bills.[1] Plus, depending on the certification, you also have the satisfaction of knowing that the home reduces greenhouse gas emissions, has healthier indoor air, uses less water, and used fewer natural resources in its construction.

How to buy a green home

There are several certifying agencies (see Sorting out certifications below) that independently certify homes to specific standards. Other homes may have been built or remodeled with energy-saving and green features but are not certified, leaving the home buyer to sort out the validity of the home’s green features. Keep in mind that truly green homes are more than just energy-efficient. A 2006 report by McGraw-Hill defined a true green home as one that has features in at least three of following five categories: energy efficiency, indoor air quality, water efficiency, resource efficiency, and site management.[2] Here are some tips to help the home buyer separate green from greenwash.

• Use a green realtor or eco-broker. These specially trained real estate agents know what green features to look for and have access to resources that can help you find a green home.
• Hire an energy rater. Certified energy raters (see Find it!) can evaluate a home for energy efficiency. You’ll need this evaluation if you plan to get a green mortgage.
• Do your own green inspection. The US Green Building Council (USGBC) offers a quick Green Home Checklist to help you evaluate a potential home. You can also download their US Green Building Council’s ReGreen Guidelines 2008 to help you evaluate an existing home’s green remodel. (Save paper and just read it online—it’s 182 pages!)
• Ask questions while you tour the home. Here are some basic GY questions to ask:
  1. Does the home have compact fluorescent lamps (CFL’s) in its permanent light fixtures? Each 75-watt incandescent bulb that has been replaced with an equivalent CFL can save a new homeowner over $50 in electricity costs over the lifetime of that bulb.
  2. Are the home’s appliances, windows, faucets, and other qualified features ENERGY STAR certified? ENERGY STAR products use 10 to 50 percent less energy and reduce paper and water consumption compared to standard models.[3]
  3. Have the heating and cooling systems recently been updated to energy-efficient models? Between 50 and 70 percent of the energy used in an average American home is consumed by heating and cooling systems.[4]
  4. Does the home have a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat can cut heating and cooling costs by up to 20 percent,[5] commonly amounting to annual energy savings of $150 for the average household.[6]
  5. Has the home been properly sealed and insulated? The US Department of Energy (DOE) lists inadequate insulation as a leading cause of home energy waste because it forces even the most efficient heating and cooling systems to work harder and consume more energy.[4]
  6. Do the faucets have aerators and the showers low-flow shower heads? The average household can save almost 8,000 gallons of water per year by installing low-flow showerheads or faucet aerators, which also reduce the demand for hot water.[7]
  7. To ensure the home’s indoor air is healthy and not loaded with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ask if carpets, paints, and other building or recent remodeling products were low-VOC.

Find it! Certified green homes

The McGraw-Hill report notes that green homes owned just 0.3 percent of the construction market in 2005, which may make it difficult to find a green home where you need to live.[2] However, the report predicts that green homes will make up 10 percent of new home construction by 2010.[8] And, on the horizon is a possible change in housing codes. The Energy Efficient Codes Coalition (EECC) wants to change the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) to require a 30 percent improvement in residential energy efficiency.[9] Until the market for green homes rises to meet demand, however, you’ll have to do some research. Listed here are a few useful resources. A note of caution: Homes may be listed as green or energy-efficient, but if they are not certified by an independent agency, you’ll need to hire an energy rater or do your own green evaluation to verify claims.

Buying a certified green home helps you go green because…

• These homes use less energy and water throughout their lifetime.
• Their construction produces less waste and uses fewer resources.
• Certified homes provide for better indoor air quality, especially for newly built homes.

Homes in the US are responsible for 21 percent of the nation’s energy use and belch 335 million metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere each year.[1] Most home emissions are due to the fossil fuels burned to generate electricity and heat. The average household spends $1,900 per year on energy bills, with half going toward heating and cooling.[1] A study published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology compared the life-cycle energy of a standard home with an equivalent energy-efficient home and found a dramatic reduction in the total life-cycle energy of the energy-efficient model—from a whopping 16,000 GJ (gigajoule, a unit of energy equal to 109 joules) for the standard home to just 6,400 GJ for the energy-efficient model. Similarly, life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions were 1,010 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent and 370 metric tons, respectively.[10]

Energy efficiency is just one feature of a green home. Certifying agencies with comprehensive standards also rate a home in water use, pollution, material and product inputs, indoor air quality and occupant comfort, transport, site ecology, and other sustainable design features.[11] For example, the builders of a green home would consider the home’s orientation and design on the lot to take advantage of existing landscaping for energy efficiency and to minimize land disturbance. The builder would also feature an increased use of fresh air and natural light, improved insulation, FSC-certified or salvaged lumber products, recycled concrete aggregates, and the use of local products when possible.[12]

Sorting out certifications

The US Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership for Energy Efficient Design) certification program for commercial buildings has been the benchmark for green certification for many years. And recently the council introduced LEED for Homes certification. However, the fees and extensive documentation required for LEED certification have led to a growth in other state and regional programs, often administered by home builder associations. One estimate claims that there are 80 different local and state green building organizations, each promoting their own rules on what constitutes a green home.[13] These programs may have similar green guidelines, but they differ in documentation and verification methods. Some may not require independent third-party verification to be "certified" green, nor offer an official certification procedure. The USGBC offers a partial list of certifications not affiliated with nor endorsed by USGBC. The following are the three national rating programs.

LEED for Homes

The comprehensive LEED for Homes rating system awards points to new single-family homes, condominiums, apartments, duplexes and other homes in eight categories, including how well the home is integrated into the larger community. This national program adjusts for home size, as well, to account for a larger home’s increased use of resources. Home builders work with a LEED for Homes Provider, who provides technical assistance before the home is built. Once the home is built, a LEED for Homes Green Rater executes a field inspection and performance test. Based on these reviews, the home is certified as Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum, with Platinum being the highest rating.[14]

USGBC also provides green remodeling guidelines for existing homes, but does not certify them.

ENERGY STAR

An ENERGY STAR rating is available for new and existing retrofitted homes. Qualified homes, which can be single-family or multi-family dwellings, must meet four minimum guidelines for energy efficiency set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These homes are at least 15 percent more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code. The home may also meet a fifth guideline to include additional ENERGY STAR products, which makes the home 20 to 30 percent more efficient than standard homes. In fact, an ENERGY STAR home can prevent 4,500 pounds of greenhouse gas from entering the atmosphere each year.[15] Independent Home Energy Raters conduct on-site testing and inspections to verify the energy efficiency measures.

A separate label—the ENERGY STAR Indoor Air Package—addresses the indoor air quality. To achieve this label, a home must first be qualified as ENERGY STAR, and then incorporate more than 60 additional design and construction features to control moisture, chemical exposure, radon, pests, ventilation, and filtration.[15]

NAHB National Green Building Program

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) issued its Green Home Building Guidelines—an education, verification, and certification program for new homes—in 2008. The simple online scoring tool is expected to make the process easily accessible and affordable. The rules were developed in collaboration with the International Code Council and will be written for accreditation from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The Guidelines cover seven areas, including Lot Design, Resource Efficiency, and Global Impact. Once the home builder or owner scores the home, an Accredited Verifier inspects the home at two separate times. There are three levels of certification available: Bronze, Silver, or Gold.[16]

In addition to this national program, the NAHB Green Home Building Guidelines are the basis for many local and regional green building programs, which may not include independent verification.

Drawbacks

A certified green home typically costs 3 to 5 percent more—or about $10,000 extra on a $300,000 home.[13] But with energy and water savings, the extra purchase price will quickly pay for itself. Additionally, a certified green home may qualify for a green mortgage that offers favorable interest rates or terms.

Tax breaks and incentives

Tax breaks and incentives are available primarily for green home builders. The Tax Incentives Assistance Project (TIAP) maintains a list of current tax information. The USGBC also offers a list of incentives.

Glossary

• volatile organic compounds (VOCs): Gases released by a wide variety of products, including household cleansers, furniture, and dry-cleaned clothing.[17] Paint and coatings alone account for 9 percent of all VOCs emitted from consumer and commercial products in the US, according to the EPA.[18] VOCs can cause several health concerns, ranging from headaches and respiratory inflammation to central nervous system problems.[17] VOCs are also considered a possible carcinogen.[17]

External links

• Healthy Homes Partnership
• ENERGY STAR - New Homes brochure
• Global Green - What Makes a Product Green
• US Green Building Council - Green Home Guide: Green Homes 101
• Natural Resources Defense Council - Affordable Green House