Green Building Benefits

Utilizing Green Building products and practices in homebuilding and remodeling projects means quality homes and financial savings for you. Even the smallest effort can make a big difference. While particular benefits will vary depending on the specific choices made by the builder and homeowner, and to what extent Green Building practices are employed, the general benefits are:

Financial Savings

Green Building construction standards and products make homes more energy efficient by being well insulated and well sealed. Efficient windows, appliances, lighting and other household equipment also help add to the savings and keep your monthly electricity bills low. Up to 65% lower! And with energy prices rising and non-renewable fuels being depleted, an energy efficient home is asset we can all appreciate for years to come. Water bills are also reduced through low-flow equipment and thoughtful land use.

Homes built following Green Building standards may also qualify for special "green" financing. Called an Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM), they can offer you more purchasing power, so you can include additional features on your home or even buy a larger one.

Increased Comfort

Comfortable with your year-round sun exposure, comfortable with the ambient temperature, comfortable with your energy bill-'comfortable' can mean a lot of things. Starting with good energy design, Green Building helps to ensure that your home is inherently more comfortable. If you're building new, proper orientation of your home can take advantage of the sun's natural heat in the cooler months, while avoiding too much sun in the warmer ones to save on energy costs. The tight construction also helps keep energy costs and drafts down. For everyone, better insulation, efficient windows, appliances, and lighting contribute to a comfortable environment without excessive energy expenditure.

Healthier Living

Natural chemical gasses emitted from building materials and your heating system can be a potential source of health problems if not properly addressed. Many products, such as cabinets, counter tops, shelving and furniture are made from particleboard that is glued together with formaldehyde. Released into the home for years from these products, formaldehyde is a suspected human carcinogen. Paints and floor finishes may also contain chemicals that are not healthy to breathe, especially for small children. Green Building encourages use of materials, paints and finishes that avoid or eliminate these sources of indoor pollution. This includes use of a wide range of products such as solvent-free adhesives that not only eliminate many of the suspected and known carcinogens, but actually perform better than traditional products.

Carpet can also be a source of indoor pollution; so Green Building guidelines encourage using low-pile or less allergen-attracting carpets and pads. Installing carpeting by tacking rather than gluing also helps reduce air toxicity. Reducing carpeting altogether and using alternate flooring made from FSC sustainably harvested wood or bamboo is also a highly encouraged option.

Finally, ventilation is key to keeping and maintaining indoor air quality for healthier living and green building provides for this as well. Well-sealed duct systems, sealed combustion gas appliances, and a balanced or slightly positive pressure ventilation system all improve indoor air quality and help keep you comfortable and healthy.

Proper ventilation is especially important in Green Building as it prevents mold and other potentially dangerous allergens from forming. With the tighter home envelope, ventilation allows excess moisture to escape so it doesn't get caught in the walls, insulation, or crawlspace and cause health problems for you and your family.

Less Maintenance and Higher Durability

Current building codes establish minimum construction standards that protect your safety, but Green Building guidelines take that code a step further. Green building uses premium materials, that are more durable, and practices construction methods that may exceed building code requirements. Together, these qualities enhance your home's performance and reduce maintenance and replacement costs, thereby raising the overall value.

Examples of such long-lasting materials and their applications include decks made from recycled plastic and fibers, durable tile or linoleum for floors, 50-year roofing materials and cementitious siding. All of these outperform their traditional counterparts by reducing maintenance and replacement costs.

Knowing You're Being Good to the Environment

Green building products and practices offer you the assurance that you are following environmentally friendly guidelines that help preserve our natural resources. A socially responsible step worthy of recognition, when you Green Build you are making a strong statement about your dedication to the community and the environment.

Farther reaching than your home itself, Green Building promotes the use of local products and materials that help stimulate local businesses and a diverse economy. This keeps your dollars working in your neighborhood and reduces energy consumption because there are less transportation costs. Materials like engineered wood products are encouraged because they have less impact on the environment. Recycled-content materials help by productively utilizing materials that would otherwise sit in landfills and pollute the earth.

Green Building is not a passing trend. Informing and educating you, the Bay Area homeowner, about the value of Green Building standards is the Build It Green program's goal. We believe that through education we can all make a difference that will improve the way we live - today and tomorrow.