For many homebuyers, the future looks green

Earth-friendliness, energy efficiency make for a win-win situation
By MIKE FOLEY, The Greenville (S.C.) News

The Langston family didn't set out to be trendy -- that is, to be "green" -- when they bought their new home in the Carilion neighborhood near Furman University in Greenville, S.C.

It sort of sneaked up on them.

"Initially, we weren't looking for that," John Langston said about their new home's Energy Star certification and its EarthCraft status. "We were just looking at the quality of construction."

"It's all new technology to us," his wife Lindy said of the environmentally friendly features of their home.

For the most part, of course, the earth-friendly and money-saving technology is new to everyone. And it's coming to a new home near you.

Let's call 2008 the year of the green home.

According to the National Association of Home Builders, the green homes market is expected to increase to 10 percent by 2010, about double today's rate. Largely, the demand is coming from homebuyers, not from builders themselves. Nearly seven in every 10 consumers believe energy conservation is important or extremely important, the NAHB said.

The same study said buyers who place a priority on energy-efficiency and green building are also more likely to value other environmentally friendly features, such as proximity to parks and public transportation, and having sidewalks or walking trails in a neighborhood.

Todd Usher, president of the Home Builders Association of Greenville and president of Addison Homes, said builders in Greenville are starting to catch on to national trends.

"Energy-efficiency, green building, those are definitely trending upward in 2008," he said.

But while consumers want green improvements, cost is still a factor, said Buddy DeLozier, president of Authentic Custom Homes in Simpsonville, S.C.

"It does cost more to be green," DeLozier said. "It doesn't have to cost a ton, but it is more.

"We're trying to do everything we can to be green. We do build high-end homes, so they're paying for it up front, but there's a real cost savings in the future."

DeLozier used the example of a tankless water heater. A traditional 40-gallon tank water heater may cost about $350, while a tankless heater is about $1,000.

"But the tankless heater is less cumbersome, easier to install and takes up less space," he said. "The costs savings is huge. It takes a few years, but it adds up."



SPEAKING GREEN

Green terms such as EarthCraft, Energy Star and LEED are becoming more commonplace as home builders and homebuyers alike move toward more environmentally efficient homes.


Here's a primer on those three main designations:


Energy Star


To earn the Energy Star, a home must meet guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.


Such homes are at least 15 percent more energy-efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20 percent to 30 percent more efficient than standard homes.


Main features include effective insulation, high-performance windows, tight construction, efficient heating and cooling equipment, and energy-saving products such as efficient appliances.


EarthCraft


While builders have flexibility to try to achieve high environmental performance, some of the common attributes of a typical EarthCraft home are efficient design, energy-efficient lighting and appliances, excellent indoor air quality, a drought-tolerant landscape and a tree preservation plan for the home site.


LEED


The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, provides standards for environmentally sustainable construction.


This LEED certification for homes is still fairly new. Launched as a pilot program in 2005, the final rating system for homes was launched in December. So far, only 400 homes nationwide are LEED-certified.


LEED standards allow many avenues to achieve the same result.