McGraw-Hill Construction, part of the U.S-based McGraw-Hill Companies, recently studied “green” homes, focusing on homeowners south of the border. The survey was co-sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and found homeowners more satisfied with their new green homes than their previous non-green addresses, and revealed they would also recommend buying green to others.

The research was the first estimate of the size of the green home market in the U.S. According to the report 0.3 per cent of American homes are truly green (have elements in three of five environmental building categories), a market estimated at $2 billion US.

“Though it’s still a small number, builders are already getting it when it comes to the value of real green homes, and it appears homeowners are too,” said Harvey M. Bernstein, McGraw-Hill Construction vice-president of industry analytics, alliances and strategic initiatives.

Citing an estimate from 2006 that two per cent of the U.S. residential construction market had at least one green building element, such as energy-efficient appliances, Bernstein added, “It’s also powerful to find that people are really starting to commit to building truly green homes … They’re paying attention to the holistic benefit of green.”

Homeowners reported being extremely happy with their green homes, with 85 per cent more pleased with their new green homes than with their previous non-green ones. And 28 per cent of the homeowners reported hearing about green homes by word of mouth. 

The research also found that:
•  The new green homeowner is affluent and well educated, in his or her mid-40s and married, while women are more likely to be green homeowners.

•  63 per cent report lower operating and maintenance costs as the key motivation behind buying green. Additionally, nearly 50 per cent reported environmental concerns and family health as motivators. 

•  Top three obstacles, hovering over 60 per cent of respondents, stemmed from education, additional costs involved, and the availability of homes, with the former reported as the biggest hurdle.

In Canada, Jayman MasterBUILT helmer, Jay Westman, planted the seed for building with the environment in mind, when he backed the idea of green building to the Calgary Region Home Builders Association (CRHBA) after discovering a similar program in Denver, Colorado. The BuiltGreen™ Alberta program was born in 2003, and since then more than 3,800 homes are registered under Built Green™ (now the BuiltGreen™ Society of Canada), while 55 builders in B.C. and Alberta have constructed Built Green™ homes. Measured on a point system, Built Green™ is a voluntary program for builders of single-family and townhomes promoting and recognizing materials, products and practices which increase energy efficiency, improve air quality, reduce water use, preserve natural resources, and reduce maintenance.

Holly Chabidon, Built Green™ Society of Canada Administration, says she understands why people would be happy with green homes, especially those fitting bronze, silver or gold standards of the program. “They are better-built homes. Parts of our program look at energy-efficiency, but you are also looking at air quality and fewer problems with allergies. The homes are tighter and don’t have as much in the way of air leaks, and you also pay less for utility bills,” she says.

While the program here has grown by  leaps and bounds since it began just over four years ago, there is still progress to be made in educating consumers, says Chabidon. “We are still in a place in the market where you give home buyers a choice of granite countertops or to make their home completely green and they are going to go with the granite.”

Chabidon notes that if “green” options were included with new home construction—and they often are—people are not going to reject them, and perhaps that is where the future lies. “We have one builder who builds all its homes Built Green™ and people are choosing them as a builder because of it. Builders have an opportunity to show leadership here.”

And many already are leaders in the industry, especially here in Alberta. “One of the things people don’t understand is no other province has done as well as Alberta (with Built Green™). And in the U.S. there is no other state that can touch our numbers. When you consider we have a program that’s harder to meet the standards and we have more than 3,700 homes registered in the program, that’s amazing,” says Chabidon, adding Colorado is the closest runner up, counting its green homes only in the hundreds, noting their program is not an exact match to Canada’s.

It especially pays to build green in Calgary, as the City started this January handing out rebates of ten, 20, and 30 per cent off permit costs to builders who comply to bronze, silver and gold standards, or an estimated value of roughly $160 to $480 per home. Edmonton also followed suit in April, with a rebate retroactive to January 1, and will give rebates for homes certified Built Green™ to bronze, silver and gold standards since that date. Saanich, B.C. is also launching rebates for housing projects qualifying under Built Green™.

On the horizon is a program for multi-storey and high-rise construction, with a few builders now participating in a pilot, while a category in the much-coveted CRHBA SAM Awards related to Built Green™ has often been talked about. “I would not be surprised at all. The CRHBA has been a huge supporter of Built Green™,” says Chabidon.

Along with more builders joining, she says she would like to see those already part of Built Green™ take it a step further to craft all their homes to a gold standard. Current members have done such a great job at reaching the highest level; leaders of the program are considering raising the bar to include a platinum level to aspire to.

And while no study exists measuring how Built Green™ has hit home in Canada, Chabidon says she would welcome collecting such results. “We are still getting a lot of information from the builders, themselves. I think it is a really good idea (to poll homeowners), and I would also like to do a formal survey of builders. We are at that point.”

And since new homes are built to a much better standard than their decades-old counterparts, the renovation market is another area Built Green™ may move into.

“Considering the leaps that new houses have improved in, new houses are not your problem. Yes, we want every single home built to a gold standard and above but to work with the renovation market is also important,” says Chabidon. NL

For information on the BuiltGreen™ Society of Canada, visit http://www.builtgreencanada.ca