Last week several home builders, construction firms, and architects attended the Santa Fe Home Builders Association to learn about building more energy-efficient homes. With the demand for “green” homes steadily increasing, it is no surprise that this was the topic of discussion as Kim Shanahan, the association’s president, and other Santa Fe home builders addressed the conference attendees.
The overall consensus is that energy efficiency can be improved upon, while reducing green-house gases, without jeopardizing the quality or affordability of homes. In fact, members discussed proposed changes to Santa Fe’s building code, that would require new homes to meet green building standards.
One proposed change would require new homes to meet a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score of 70 points, at most. The standard new home, built to code, has a HERS rating of 100. A HERS of 70 signifies a new home is 30 percent more energy efficient than today’s standard home.
Santa Fe builder – Bob Kreger, stated that a house with a HERS of 60 or lower qualifies for significant tax credits.
Dalinda Bangert, a HERS rater, explained to the audience that the difference between a HERS of 100 and a HERS of 70 could result in up to $900 a year less in utility fees for the average homeowner.
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This is great news for our future. The high demand of green homes symbolizes the demand for a green life. The fact that an entire homebuilders association is participating in more efficient styles of building is great!
There is more than ever a high demand for green tech – especially in the home sector – someday soon you’ll see VertiCrops (vertically grown food crops) in most neighborhoods in all major cities and urban areas – this will complimnt nicely all the excellent green homes and buildings that are going up. There are winning investments to be made left and right here.