Partnership Strengthens Sustainable Housing in Florida
By Edie Ousley
Green is no longer just another color. Just like location, location, location…green is now one of the primary considerations when building a new home.
While green building has been around for years, its popularity has only grown in recent years as more and more consumers have learned the value of investing in green.
Consider that in 1999, consumers didn’t talk about carbon-neutral or zero-energy homes, and the American public was largely unconcerned about global warming. At the time, there were only 7,000 Energy Star-certified homes. Now, there are more than 800,000.
As demand for green built homes has increased, the Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA) has taken a pro-active lead in promoting this very type of construction. In 2006, FHBA endorsed the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) Green Home Standard, a statewide green building program that addresses Florida climate-specific issues, unlike national green building programs.
Through a partnership between FHBA and FGBC, the two organizations have helped unify Florida’s green building standards by advocating the FGBC Green Home Designation Standard and Green Development Designation Standard as the “green standards” for builders to follow. In addition, the partnership has encouraged incentives for builders and developers whose projects are certified under FGBC Standards, and it has developed a wealth of resources to educate builders and the public on the health and economic benefits of green buildings.
To date, more than 1,700 homes have been FGBC certified, according to Suzanne Cook, FGBC Executive Director. And thanks to endorsements by the Florida League of Cities and Florida League of Mayors, there’s an increase in FGBC Green Local Government Standard certifications. Under the local government certification process, municipalities typically provide incentive and rebate programs for energy- and water-efficient construction practices.
FHBA builder member Kip Carpenter has been building green homes for more than 25 years. Until 2001, Carpenter didn’t have a green certification program available to help put a “seal of approval” on his construction products – an approval that helps endorse his homes as certified green.
“This allows me to have a third party affiliation that says we’re green and that we know what we’re doing,” said Carpenter, owner of A Carpenters Construction Company, a single-family, custom home builder in Tallahassee. “The FGBC certification process is a smooth, it’s not very expensive, and it allows plenty of options for achieving green certification.”
With soaring gas, food and energy prices pinching pocketbooks, sustainable housing is more important than ever, according to FHBA Chief Executive Officer J. Emmett Reed, CAE.
“Consumers realize now more than ever the importance of sustainable housing…the benefits it provides to our environment and to their wallet,” Reed explained. “Green building has become more attractive because it produces lower energy bills. We’re pleased to be able to provide consumers with a wealth of contractors that understand the importance of building green, and understand the important role the FGBC green standards play in providing sustainable housing.”
It’s Not Just Cool; It’s Efficient
For consumers, buying green isn’t just the cool thing to do…it’s the cost effective way to buy a new home or remodel their existing home.
A 2007 survey by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) revealed that reduced energy costs was the number one reason respondents would choose to buy a green home or remodel their existing home to make it greener. The second and third reasons were because it would be healthier and because it’s the right thing to do for the environment.
Per square foot, new homes consume less than two-thirds the energy of older homes for heating and air conditioning, according to federal utility use audits. Energy efficiency is an important driver in the green building movement and usually accounts for about half the costs of making a traditional home a green home, according to NAHB studies.
While consumers have become more educated on the need and reasons for buying green homes, they are often confused about what it means for a home to be green.
“Greenwashing” – the act of misleading consumers about environmental practices, products or services – is an ongoing problem, according to a report in The Sustainable Future. To help separate green from greenwashing, more and more Florida builders are incorporating the FGBC designation standards into their building practices.
Common benchmarks found in green building include:
- Energy – Optimized through whole-house systems design that includes, effective insulation; high-performance windows; high-efficiency lighting and appliances; right-sizing the HVAC system.
- Indoor air – VOC-free finishes, adhesives and carpeting, radon-resistant construction; mechanical and natural ventilation.
- Water – Low-flow toilets and showerheads; rainwater harvesting; graywater recycling.
- Landscaping – Little or no lawn; native plants; limited irrigation.
- Building products – Materials with recycled content; salvaged materials; lumber from certified forests.
- Siting/land use – Conservation of natural features; compact development; access to transit.
Peter Yost, a speaker at the recent NAHB National Green Building Conference, forecasts that green building will see even bigger changes as this type of construction moves into the mainstream. Among Yost’s predictions are:
- More emphasis on water efficiency,
- A stronger link between construction and transportation,
- “Passive survivability” will move into the mainstream,
- Changes in mortgages, insurance and appraisals, and
- More innovative products.
The strong partnership between the Florida Home Builders Association and the Florida Green Building Coalition is helping to ensure that sustainable housing is more than the color “green” – it’s a way of living.
Edie Ousley is the Communications Director for the Florida Home Builders Association. She can be reached at eousley@fhba.com.
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