Saving the planet’s resources is an admirable wish, and it’s great that finally the greenies are no longer considered to be a bunch of whakos. In fact, it seems that it’s even ok to proudly wear the label of ‘environmentally aware consumer’, adding that bit of cool factor to being green. Retailers and manufacturers are paying attention to this trend and most advertisements carry a ’save the planet’ pitch. But what if we were to be selfish for a minute and only consider the benefits of green for us? What if we honestly asked the age-old question of “what’s in it for us?” every time an ad touted something or other world-saving to endear us to the advertiser?
Let’s look at green living, for a moment, simply in terms of its effect on one necessity we can’t live without – money. More specifically, let’s look at what the costs and benefits of buying or building a green home are like in real numbers. No pretty catch-phrases, no sales pitches, just math.
What you’ll save with EnergyStar: according to EPA – homes built to EnergyStar standards are 20-30% more energy efficient. The standards address construction methods and use of appliances and fixtures.
Average electric bill in Flagler County, Florida, for a residence housing a family of four this past February was around $280-$300.00. Floridians living in EnergyStar-rated homes will have paid just under $200.00. Not all EnergyStar qualified or rated homes are created equal, of course. For example, a Florida Green Homes Model in Palm Coast, a 2-story 4bedroom/3bath home, just received its highest electric bill ever for the month of March. The reason for the high bill was Flagler Parade of Homes, which lasted for two weeks, and the model home hosted over a thousand visitors. The bill was a whopping $65.00 – almost double the usual electric bill for this home. Of course, being that the home is a model, there is no daily cooking and running the dishwasher.
WaterStar: water usage varies greatly from area to area. In Florida, almost 70% of water used goes to irrigation of lawns and yards. Florida WaterStar program estimates that by using efficient indoor plumbing, low flow faucets and dual flush toilets and proper irrigation, the consumers can use 20% less water indoors and 40% less outdoors.
We also recommend planting native vegetation and sod, regardless of where you are. If the grass is native, it will take a lot less water to keep it healthy. A side benefit to using native plants is that you will see some indigenous wildlife, that is becoming increasingly rare, even in these parts. My Florida back yard is currently home to a pair of mating falcons, a multitude of butterflies, cardinals, finches, and a few families of rabbits, making for fabulous mornings outdoors.
It’s important to note that while EnergyStar and WaterStar certifications are definitely a good indication that a home is green, there are many other certifications available to builders that utilize similar point systems and analyze home’s energy efficiency. Some are national, like the LEED certification, others are more regional in nature. Florida Green Building Coalition, for example, uses LEED standards that are modified for use in Florida climate and environment. Hence, homes certified Green by the Florida Green Building Coalition score extra points for hurricane resistance and native landscaping, but builders don’t have to worry about losing points if their homes lack effective means of snow removal. Most states have a certifying entity and local standards, and it is always a good idea for anyone looking to build a green home to find out what those local standards are.
No matter what the parameters used are, pay attention to the basics first – those are the most important, and price wise, the most expensive. The basics being the unseen stuff the walls and roofs are made of, the elusive home envelope stuff. How well a home is built and insulated will always have a larger impact on your utility bills than any appliances can offset. There are many ways of building a home, even a green one, ranging from spray-insulated frame construction to use of modular SIPs and beyond. A savvy consumer should look at the costs and benefits of each, and choose the construction method that suits their needs, budget and climate best. We use insulating concrete forms (ICFs) for our walls and reinforced roof systems with Icynene insulation. The result is a fortress of sorts, capable of withstanding a CAT five hurricane. This same construction is also largely responsible for keeping the utility bills well below the standards called for by EnergyStar and WaterStar guidelines, saving our customers on average 70% off their bills. Since we only build in Florida, with its humid sub-tropical climate, proximity to water and being prone to tropical storms, this construction method seems the most logical for a Florida Green Home, at least to us. It may not be the best green home for everyone, and with so many options available, it might be hard to figure out which to choose. Whatever you do, ask many questions, hit Google, and learn about the costs and benefits of each type of Green Home construction before putting the proverbial pen to paper. In the end, building or buying Green could save you thousands of dollars, never mind soothe your altruistic save the planet side. It could also turn out to be nothing more than a nifty label, making you just a tad cooler than your non-green friends, with no real benefit to the one that matters most – you.
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Great article – as an agent in Augusta, Georgia, we have a similar climate here, albeit without a hurricane threat. Gary Keller told the 7,000 or so of us Keller Williams agents in Orlando just this past February that Green is the future, embrace it, learn it, study it, market it – or plan to retire from real estate within ten years because you won’t survive.
Joe – thank you for the compliments. I agree with you (and Gary Keller) – this is the future, and it’s a lot closer than the majority of the real estate and home building industry are willing to admit at the time. We are seeing lots of consumer interest and knowledge, and, IMHO, the consumers will choose where and how they want to live – they always do.
BTW: By all means jump on our site, myfloridagreenhome.com and register as an agent – our builder guys pays 4% in referral commissions, and we, the marketing arm give all kinds of resources making it easy for anyone to ‘market’ green homes here. Quite a few Georgia transplants in Palm Coast:-)
Best -,
inna-
I agree also, a great article. The new generations of house owner are looking more and more at the cost, not only the interest. The electricity-, water-, heating-, community cost, ect. The winner of the builder is that one who has the best economical houses.
Sundream Estate – thank you for the compliments. The consumers are becoming better informed about long-term economic benefits of building right. I would venture a guess that the new generation of home-owners will consist of fewer “flippers” and investors and more of people who want to not only live in the home they build or buy, but be able to pass it on to their kids. Being from Europe – where people did stay in their homes at times for many generations, there is something of a sentimental appeal in all this for me. I love the idea that it is now possible to build homes that will stand for a century if need be, even in the rather bizarre Florida cimate.
Consider sustainable energy design of commercial buildings. Be sure to compute the lower operating costs of energy efficient green ENERGY STAR® buildings when calculating mortgage payments.
I agree, I don’t think the green or clean movement is looked at the same as it was. For awhile it was only tree huggers and hippies who wanted to save the planet until many started to really see the effects on the planet. With the population getting larger we need to do something as the resources we use from water to oil could become very low if we don’t change the way we use things. I look at the eco-friendly revolution from a stand-point of being self-sufficient which is a cool concept for me to not have to fully rely on others for energy.
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The biggest question that I’ve been having since the green eco movement is why the conversion isn’t going as quickly as I thought it would. Because the amount of money you save through solar panels, hybrid/electric vehicles, etc etc, I haven’t seen a tremendous amount of change. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen people going green, but I was just expecting more commercials and green products to be on the shelves of superstores. More than that, I also thought the rich tycoons would use the economy going green to make more money.
It’s amazing how much money is saved with these green houses. The only thing limiting factor in conversion is usually the initial investment.
I do agree that saving money with these green houses can really help. Great job.
Brennan:
Agreed…I would venture a guess that there is also something to be said for the psychological effects on us, people, of self-sufficiency. In a strange way, it’s almost ironic that the liberals have been the ones pushing that agenda:-) It is happening here, slowly but surely. Thank you for your comment, and nice blog on the energy costs by states, btw.
George: – I think the fact that all the green stuff that has been hitting the shelves simply costs way too much, especially given the current economy. Don’t even get me started on how much of the “green” labeled goods are not actually green at all. Intelligent consumers have become cynical.
Florida Contractor: actually the initial investment as you refer to it isn’t all that much with most builders. Yes, solar options cost a bit, but when building a new home, what’s an extra 10K worked into a mortgage? Outside of solar though, the difference in builder cost of constructing a green home vs not so much is really not much at all – it’s how much one wants to make in profits off of each that inevitably makes a difference:-)
John Dennis – Thank you for the compliment. Saving money with the right type of green home absolutely helps:-)
It’s actually quite amazing how long it has taken for “green” construction to take a foothold. It seems that it is certainly long overdue for this to happen. My only hope is that while it’s the “in-thing” to show off how green a builder might be, I really hope it stays. Thanks for the article.
I sincerely wish success the similar companies. I hope they will soon reach and my country.
As a soon to be new home owner, i have been looking into green construction like you mentioned this is awesome article, its important to to look into everything from the insulation, windows all the way down the the ground where the concrete is pored. Thank you for further educating me! I hope i make a good home buying decision and avoid paying monster utility bills.
As a home improvement contractor in MA. It's hard trying to convince the HO the benefits to building green are. I'll give them a chart on how much money they'll save in the long run -vs the non green building products –it's been hit and miss lately.
I think we've got to be careful when moving to greener living that we're not just shifting the problem to another area. For example electric cars that charge form your mains electric just moves the fossil fuel burning form your car to the power station.
I agree making your house green is great for the environment and can save you money in the end, but it seems so expensive to make the initial modifications. It's also great to see companies that have the money experimenting with alternative and green energy.
Green living is very important for the environment, so it's sad to see that it's become such a buzz word recently. When I go shopping, I always double check ingredients on foods that claim to be organic and on clothes' labels (it's surprising to find organic or green clothes that have polyester in them!).
I'm glad to see so many home builders and home buyers are finally seeing the benefits of going green. I've heard a lot of people complain that "going green" costs too much, but none of them seem to think about the money they will be saving in the end. Home buyers that are committed to living green should make sure that their home isn't only built green, but that all of the installed appliances are Energy Star rated. Energy Star rated appliances can offer a lot of checkbook relief, which is very helpful in this economy.
Koozies, that sounds awesome! The apple tree is native to where I live, so hey… I'll give it a try next season, always wanted to try and grow a tree from seed!
Mike – I think it absolutely will stay… Consumers are catching on and the industry as a whole will follow, some builders unwillingly, but consumer demand is what's driving the green movement now, and it's going to simply be an issue of survival for companies to pay attention to it.
To all the commenters that I didn't address individually, thank you for reading and responding to this, and I apologize for the rather late response to some of you – too little time, and, to be frank, I wasn't expecting so much great feedback:-)
Septron · thank you!
Nck at Concrete… – I am glad I could help, and I sincerely hope that your new house will be everything you dream and a green dream to boot. It seems you understand fully what you are looking for, so you should do just fine.
Deck-builder in MA – it's hit and miss in most places for now. The one thing that makes us optimistic though is the sheer number of customers searching and looking for Green Features in their new homes and even businesses. It's harder to convince someone who is set in their ways to change than it is to engage a willing audience.
Old Fashioned Toys – I agree with your sentiment on shitting the problem, and your example of electric cars is certainly valid to an extent. I think that if you look at any industry that is trying to go green you will see some setbacks and 'shifting' of power burdens that won't in the end alleviate any of the environmentat issues, but if you look in that ellusive gray area for signs of growth, signs of tecnological improvements – it does become about the next generation of cars, homes, or anything else for that matter that will be truly green.
I can say in all sincerity that the Florida Green Homes will save customers about 70% on their electric bills every month. It doesn't mean that our power plants will be producing less electricity as a result of a few homes like that being built, but if green homes and commercial buildings constituted the majority of construction – it'll make all the difference… Small steps for now…
Ferret Facts – some builders and rehab firms do in fact charge quite a bit for green building. We don't really do modifications or rehabs, so I am not a good judge of what the prices for something like that are. I do know that cost increase to build green from the getgo is negligible.
Eco-friendly store – thank you for the thoughful response. Most green builders I know put in EnergyStar appliances and WaterStar faucets and such as well. Even the non-green builders are starting to do that. The unfortunate reality of EnergyStar appliances in a poorly insulated home, at least in Florida, is that they won't really save you much. The bulk of our electric here goest to AC power used to cool the homes – and if the air leaks in an out freely, the bill will be through the roof during the hottest months.
Koozies – I don't understand why you would just copy a bit of text from my article and use it as a comment. On other networks I blog on that would be considered comment spam. Please, explain or modify it accordingly.
F. Jackson – see my comment to Koozies. Good luck on the apple tree, bytheway. Where I am it's advisible to grow the seeds indoors, in a little green house thingie or container first, and then plant them in the ground – soil here is pretty lousy and it's too hot most of the year for weak seedlings to make it. Would be great to just plant stuff from seeds though:-)
I think it is fantastic how we are using renewable energy and going green in so many ways. I think we also need to do things like reducing our energy usage, like installing geothermal heat pumps to replace high energy heating and cooling systems.
I agree also, a great article. The green houses is the new best thing.
The term “green shoots” is used to indicate that there are signs of recovery during an economic crisis or downturn. It comes from an analogy of plant growth – when a plant puts out little green shoots or leaves from the ground, it’s the first sign that it’s starting to grow. In the same way, “green shoots” in the economy are stats that are the first sign that the economy is starting to grow.
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Great article. I have a couple of other things that I do as well. I replaced all of my bulbs with the energy effcient bulbs, cleaned out all of the AC coils (inside and outside), and use room fans and ceiling fans. It may not sound like much but I did reduce my AC bill by about 50%. Can’t beat that!!
Thanks for informing the public.
Bill
The Camping Table guy
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I also am in a similar climate. We are just seeing the brink of “Green” Houses here. I just noticed a successful granite counter-top company here has started selling solar panels. No doubt that they are one step ahead of the trends. I must admit, this is the 1st time I’ve heard of WaterStar though.
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Green is the way of the future in houses. Energy savings, comfort, low utility bills, sustainability, resale… all improve!
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We’ve switched our appliances, doorways, and windows to be “greener” and it’s made a huge difference in our electric bill.
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I know in my new home I’ve switched to being green as well. I have tried to go with energy efficient appliances and watch my usage of water and electricity. I have cut my utility bills down about 10-20%.
We all need to do our part to help our environment. I think going green can start right at home. We can do simple things around the house to get into the spirit of it.
Green construction has definitely taken hold among my customers. Both home owners and builders alike are primarily concerned about the efficiency and durability of the radiators they’ve bought over the past two years. Where it used to be color selection and design preference now it’s all about energy savings and eco-consciousness. From where I sit it looks like a fantastic eco-awakening has taken place in the construction and renovation industries. Not a moment too late if you ask me!
Steve, I have seen the same green awareness in my neck of wood. People have begun to take this seriously now. I visited a few new homes in my neighborhood and they were was so energy efficient. The builders seem to have shifted in that direction as well.
I think alot of people now have become aware of the whole green movement. Even at my job we have weekly tips on how to save energy and be more efficient. As more consumers start to take action we can really cut back on our costs and waste.
I think it’s great that many people have are moving towards more energy awareness. I know I try to do my part around my house to help with cutting enery costs. This summer I installed enery star thermostats which really helped with my electric bill.
I just moved into a brand new home that is about 50% green. Most of the materials used in the construction are recycled and will not harm the environment.
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I’d like to give an enthusiastic two thumbs up for the invocation to plant your lawn with local vegetation! The amount of ecological damage done each year by the misguided desire to give every home a matching perfect green lawn is staggering. The amounts of fertilizer consumed alone is nearly equal to what is used in commercial farming. Not only do local plants thrive with little care they are also more unique and aesthetically pleasing.