What is Green Building?
Green building refers to building practices that are environmentally friendly. Green building concepts include:
1) Preservation of the natural environment;
2) Energy efficiency – heating/cooling system, appliances, lighting, walls, roof, foundation;
3) Material selection based on durability, recyclability and the amount of energy used to create the material;
4) Improved indoor air quality;
5) Water conservation inside and out.
We all are stewards of our environment and should make careful decisions about the use of resources in both building and operating our homes. Consider this - 40% of energy used in the US is used to heat and cool our homes and offices, while 30% of energy is used for transportation. New construction homes are almost all more energy efficient than the homes built even just a few years ago. Some new construction homes are more efficient than others, but in general, builders are recognizing the demand for better built, more energy efficient, homes.
As a real estate agent, my job is to know what to look for in a home, and to weigh the pros and cons of various homes, "green" or not. While I would like to sell only "green" homes, that's just not realistic given the marketplace - there are many more older resale homes than newer or remodeled "green" homes. What I can do for my clients is pass on the information I've learned over the years. I started learning about green building by attending Austin Energy's Green By Design workshop. More recently I earned my EcoBroker® certification by attending a 3-day course. I have also launched a monthly "Green Property Tour" for Realtors so we can visit green homes that are currently on the market and speak with the builders of each. And I've attended a Green is Good Seminar by David Weekley Homes.
Cool House Tour - Annual Event
Visit open houses featuring energy efficient and environmentally sound design and construction…in very cool houses! Held each Spring in Austin.
Austin City Council passes zero-energy initiative
Read more about this initiative passed in October, 2007.
The Green Building Program
Austin's Green Building Program is promoting green building for residential and commercial projects. On their website you can find a list of green building professionals, you can sign up for their green building enewsletter, you can sign up for classes and seminars, and you can search for all types of information about green building. Why build green? For better health. Greater comfort. Lower utility bills. Less maintenance. And lasting value!Green Building Resources
Austin Energy's website provides a wealth of information on green building. Click here to learn more.
Zero Energy Homes
Austin's goal is to make Zero Energy Homes cost effective by the year 2015. A zero energy home will generate its own energy. The home will need to be energy efficient enough to make power generation for itself cost effective. To be cost effective, homes will need to be about 60%-70% more energy efficient that homes built to code today. Read the full Austin Energy article from 10/1/06.
Energy Saving Ideas from Energy Hog
The Energy Hog website has lots of information on ways to conserve energy at home and save money on your electricity bills. Buyers are often asking for sellers to provide a year's worth of utility bill information so they can decide if they are buying an energy efficient home. Energy efficiency can pay off on a monthly basis as well as when you sell your home!
Free Rainwater Seminars
Dick Peterson from the City of Austin Water Wise Department showed how to install a water harvesting system at a residential location. The benefits include saving money on your water bill and providing rainwater to plants which they prefer. To see a large rain water harvesting system, you can visit the HEB or Starbucks in Escarpment Village. To learn more, you can visit the water portal on the City of Austin website.
The Infinite Power of Texas
This site has loads of information about energy and links to other sites. The Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) created the Infinite Power of Texas Renewable Energy Educational Campaign to accelerate the acceptance of renewable energy resources in Texas. SECO's main focus is to increase public awareness through demonstrating new technologies and by developing the infrastructure required to escalate their use in state programs. Through its Innovative Energy Demonstration Program, SECO works to offset or replace traditional methods of energy generation and consumption throughout Texas.