Building Green Homes – Building Cleaner, More Efficient, Higher Return Investments

Green homes are more popular than ever. During this time of economic decline, even amidst the housing market crash, green homes are selling faster than other homes. In fact, a study of home builder sales data conducted in California found that in 13 communities green homes with solar energy systems were selling at double the rate of other homes.

Green homes are gaining in appeal because people are changing the way they live and are taking responsibility for their contributions to climate change. Additionally, green homes have significant financial benefits, aside from cutting monthly energy costs, and the long term economic benefits are particularly convincing in this economic downturn.

Green home building and remodeling often goes hand in hand with the latest emerging technologies.  New technologies in solar power and wind power in conjunction with an increasing sense of environmental consciousness have allowed for a major spike in green home development and demand.

Green homes use advanced technologies and efficient, environmentally and health conscious design, construction and maintenance to mitigate negative environmental impacts and promote the best home health possible. 

In addition, research has shown that green communities, designed for better access to resources, multiple uses and with the goal to create a multitude of optimal walking and bike paths, result in improved cardiovascular and respiratory health due to the higher tendency to physically engage.

Benefits of Green Home Living

There are countless benefits to living in a green home. These include:

  • • Homes with solar power systems installed rent for up to 15% higher, appreciate faster than other homes and resell for a premium of up to 5% higher because homeowners increasingly perceive solar power as a long term asset.

  • • Toxin-free building materials reduce indoor air pollution and give you cleaner home air while the natural ventilation and green home mechanical ventilation aimed at circulating fresh air and removing stale air promote better health. All of these things potentially reduce health care expenditure.

  • • Utility bills due to a much higher level of energy efficiency can be drastically reduced so that you have increase household cash flow on a monthly basis. In fact, you can even earn money from producing more energy than you need and selling it.

  • • Building green homes is getting increasingly cost effective due to emerging technologies, wider awareness of more effective design and construction processes, mortgage company discounted loan rate incentives, government and state tax incentives – such as the new $7,500 income tax credit designated for homes with $25,000 solar panel systems installed on roofs – for building green homes or adding green features.

  • • The adherence to the highest quality materials and construction processes make green homes less vulnerable to repair and damage and more durable.

  • • Green homes use 40% less energy and less water than other homes and often generate much less waste in construction that utilizes renewable, salvaged and recycled materials.

 

Green Home Resources