Many people look at todays celebration, Lenin’s Birthday Earth Day, as a reason to celebrate mother earth and all that it entails. This is not a post for that.

Instead, lets talk about building green and why it makes much more sense. Until technology catches up to demand, energy costs are going to continue to go up. Incredible demand from China and India as they modernize is putting tremendous pressure on energy costs with little relief in site.

So much so that energy expenses are now a major part of keeping a home. In the past they were still costs, but overall the impact was not as extreme as it now. Sites such as the Home Energy Saver or Energy Star can help, but the big picture is most homes are not designed to be energy efficient.

Now lets think again, builders are not moving inventory right now. That is a fact, and they also have a good deal of down time until the market comes back except for seeing their psychologist twice weekly to keep their sanity.

What if they came out with new designs for homes that took the best in energy savings and efficiency. If energy costs are becoming a bigger part of the homebuyers thought process and home owners are looking for more efficient designs, why not give them what they want.

 An energy-efficient home has a higher value than a similar home that is less efficient. Studies published in the Appraisal Journal in 1998 and 1999 documented an approximate $20 increase in a home’s market value for every $1 decrease in annual energy costs. The decreased utility usage appeals to all kinds of homeowners whether their motivation stems from reduced environmental impact or home operating savings or a combination of each. via E-star

A nicely designed home or community that brags about a 30 percent savings on energy consumption will appeal to the crunchy granola types as well as the most ardent capitalists and penny pincher’s.

It is easy to build the way we always have but now is the time for the smart developers to start thinking outside of the box and create a product that homeowners will want to buy.

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