Green Building Media Fact Sheet - Past, Present & Future

Past

Specialized, niche home builders began constructing resource-efficient, environmentally sensitive homes in the early 1970s. The home building industry coined the phrase "green building" in the late 1980s/early 1990s, turning a movement into a quiet revolution.

The first official green home building program began in 1991 in the city of Austin, Texas.

The Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Denver introduced the first HBA-owned green building program in 1995. Over the years, Built Green® Colorado has become the largest green building program in the nation, with more than 100 builder members across the state.

Present

Today, new homes are twice as energy-efficient as they were 30 years ago, thanks to cutting-edge green building techniques and technologies available for new and remodeled homes.

Nationwide, roughly 61,000 homes were built using local green building program guidelines from 1990-2004. In 2004 alone, more than 14,000 green homes were constructed.

NAHB recently introduced voluntary Model Green Home Building Guidelines (www.nahb.org/gbg) to bring environmentally-friendly building techniques to mainstream builders and home builders associations. The guidelines offer builder and market-driven solutions in seven areas, including lot preparation and design, resource efficiency, energy efficiency, water efficiency and conservation, occupancy comfort and indoor environmental quality, and operation maintenance and homeowner education.

More specifically, homes built today use a myriad of green building techniques and technologies that Lower operating costs-homes are equipped with more efficient heating and cooling systems and use less water, resulting in lower monthly utility bills. Improved construction methods better protect homes from rain and ground water and reduce upkeep and replacement costs, while use of recycled materials helps conserve natural resources.

Reduce maintenance issues-landscaping uses native or drought-resistant plants and grasses, and decks made of pressure-treated lumber or synthetic materials need no sealing or staining.

Increase home value-homeowners with documented lower monthly utility bills are reporting higher re-sale values.

Improve environmental quality-moisture-control products and low VOC paints contribute to a more comfortable indoor environment, and efficient use of materials helps conserve natural resources.

NAHB's guidelines were developed in a consensus process by a group of more than 60 stakeholders representing key players in the green home building industry.

Future

Green building is a growing trend among home builders nationwide, with more than 30 successful green building programs now in existence. Eleven green building programs are owned or operated by members or affiliates of the National Association of Home Builders in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Missouri, New York, Ohio and Washington. More than 15 more will be organized with support from the Green Building Initiative, an organization created to help implement NAHB's Model Green Home Building Guidelines in markets across the country.

Neda Dabestani-Ryba is a licensed Realtor in Maryland. She is a member of the President's Circle of Top Real Estate Professionals. She can be reached at (800) 536-3806 or visit her website for more information: http://neda.dabestani.pcragent.com

Prudential Carruthers REALTORS is an independently owned and operated member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential Financial company. Equal Housing Opportunity

---

Subdividing - But NOT Land!

Many people are familiar with the concept of sub-dividing a... Read More

Buying and Selling Real Estate in Florida

Florida is known as the "Sun Shine" state, and the... Read More

The Real Estate Bubble Fallacy

There has been a lot of talk lately about the... Read More

We Buy Houses Scams ? How to Spot Them and How to Avoid Them

There are many reasons why a home owner would want... Read More

Why it is Important to Hire Just One Real Estate Agent to Buy a Home

In our fast paced and frantic real estate market, buying... Read More

How To Get More Money For Your House

If you are thinking about selling your house, you should... Read More

Buying Houses at Discount Prices

Buying a house is the best way you can create... Read More

Russ Whitney and Real Estate Investing Gurus

There is curently a huge real Estate boom in America... Read More

Dead Deals and Recycled Reports

Everyone knows that at the end of a home inspection,... Read More

Negotiating the Real Estate Contract

Negotiation is the process of communication back and forth in... Read More

Make Your House Earn Its Keep

Did you realise that there is a lot you can... Read More

New Home Construction - The American Dream or The American Nightmare?

Buying a new home is suppose to be the American... Read More

Escalation Clauses ? A Home Buyers Secret Weapon

Today we discuss escalation clauses because much of the country... Read More

Find Bucks in Yucks! 20-Year-Old Woman Turns Doghouses into Dollars!

Do you dream of making money in real estate? Do... Read More

The Secret Jewel in the Mediterranean Crown

Since the Northern Cypriots famously voted 'yes' to the UN... Read More

Buying Overseas Property

Fourteen Top Tips for Overseas Property Investment:1. Buy what you... Read More

Real Estate Values or Just Bad Habits

There are several small businesses that retain hundred year old... Read More

Old House? New House? Weighing Your Options

Maybe it has something to do with a childhood home... Read More

Building A Home? Want To Ask A Builder The Right Questions - Not The Dumb Ones!

These are real builder questions that I got from readers... Read More

Vegas: The New Frontier

Unless you have been living in Siberia, you know that... Read More

Real Estate Marketing, Do You Use Direct Mail?

Prospecting for leads is by far the most difficult part... Read More

Miami Property Booming for Foreign Investors

Miami tourism is growing and so is the Miami property... Read More

How to Buy Fixers for Profit

Do you dream of becoming a multi-millionaire real estate investor?... Read More

Apartment Loan 101

So you're interested in going into business as a property... Read More

Reinventing Real Estate, Part 2: Online and Empowered Consumers Are Taking Charge and Paying Less

Demanding consumers"Internet buyers tend to be better informed on market... Read More

Real Estate, Real Property and Leased Land; Definitions, Discussion and Explanations

Delaware, and the rest of the original British Colonies, has... Read More

Conditions Are Right For Buying The Higher Priced Home You?Ve Always Wanted

Higher interest rates and home prices in the past have... Read More

How To Get Started In Preconstruction Investing?

Through our website the most common question that we receive... Read More

How to Afford Your Dream Home

Is it your dream to one day own a holiday... Read More

Negative Gearing ? It?s Not to Your Benefit!

The concept of negative gearing has been originally developed to... Read More

Land Subdivision - $1.2 Billion Dollar Developer Tells You How To Do It

Land subdivision is a bit like helping Mom slice up... Read More

Real Estate Development Feasibility Study (Income) - $1.2 Billion Developer Tells You How To Do One

There are two sides to a feasibility study and in... Read More

Easing Your Way Into Homeownership: A Guide To Low Down Payment Mortgage Programs

There's no question about it: Buying a first home is... Read More