Real Estate Estate Education

These days, with climate change and pollution making a lot of noise in the headlines, the concept and necessity for green building is fast becoming one of the most popular trends in real estate in the US, and worldwide as well.

Going green, or eco-friendly is used to describe the practice of building homes, buildings and offices by utilizing environmentally sustainable methods, practices, materials, as well ecologically-friendly methods of transporting materials, disposing of waste, and achieving greater energy efficiency. At present, the regulations and official standards for green building practices are laid out by the U.S. Green Buildings Council, an organization that issues certification for housing projects that satisfactorily meet varying levels of environment standards.

Why The Rush To Go Green On Housing?

The green movement in building homes has been a quite recent trend, which has picked up more momentum as the issue gets discussed further by governments and civil society.

For now, however a large number of housing developers have yet to fully meet industry standards, but it will not take long before green practices become the standard of the housing and not simply a special case. Today, dozens of public entities around the US are in varying stages of considering making green building practices a standard requirement, and in addition to rising political pressure towards practicing sustainable development, the direction towards green building practices can be partially brought about by economics.

The Costs Of Going Green In Housing Developments

According to some estimates b industry observers, the cost of utilizing green building standards for new developments costs around two percent higher than average costs; however applying this concept can yield, over time, up to 20 percent of total construction costs.

For existing developments, the cost-benefit analysis is more intricate, however many studies have shown a positive relationship between productivity and certain aspects, such as improved air circulation, better temperature and lighting control, and increased daylighting. In a large part due to dearth of natural resources, the need for more energy-efficiency is also leading the trend towards more eco-friendly homes.

By applying green standards, homeowners and developers can save a significant amounts through lower water consumption, efficient energy conservation and healthy living. A lot of today’s green home building methods also preserve materials and reduce overhead construction costs, as utilizing more durable and earth-friendly materials will lead to less repairs and replacement costs. For a lot of home developers, the costs are of paramount significance, however they also consider that green living really matters.

Green Building Projects in The US

The US Green Building Council (USGBC) has initiated a LEED Green Building Rating System for commercial buildings, and this system is now being adopted by the housing and construction industry across the country. The USGBC now, is on the verge of crafting a rating system, which is temporarily called the “LEED for Neighborhoods” system, which applies to subdivision developments and other similar proposals.

However, it’s still not clear when this system will be ready. In one example, the City of Austin, Texas , formulated a Smart Growth Matrix Incentive Program, which gives a housing developer a possible 635 points in 14 categories, and will reward high-scoring proposals with fee waivers and municipal infrastructure support. However, the system has been temporarily shelved by the Austin city government, and no further explanation has been given at the moment for such a decision.

We all are aware that the planet’s resources are infinite, and using the earth’s resources requires a lot of proper planning and attaining long-term viability as well How can the government and society encourage home developers and other commercial development projects to fully embrace the principles and practices of sustainable development?

The practice of green building has time and again, been shown to be beneficial to local, regional and global environments, to the quality of life of inhabitants, to the strength of the local economy, to benefiting local and national tax-payers, significantly reducing infrastructure costs, and attaining significant savings for home developers as well.

Vanessa Arellano Doctor
http://realestatepress.org