Go Green – Build an Environmentally Friendly Home, Business

The concept of building an environmentally friendly home or business is more than just a passing political fad. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, buildings have a tremendous impact on energy consumption and the natural environment.

Following are statistics reported by the EPA online:

In the United States, buildings account for:
39 percent of total energy use
12 percent of the total water consumption
68 percent of total electricity consumption
38 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions

Whether you are building a new home, an office, or a large or small business, the best approach to environmental responsibility is to integrate conservative building strategies into your plans from the point of conception. Energy saving strategies can also be applied to remodeling plans and reconstruction.

In addition to the following benefits taken directly from the EPA Green Buildings website at http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/pubs/whybuild.htm, the value of your home or business will be greater for a variety of reasons including an appeal of social environmental responsibility to potential buyers and many buyers’ interest in long-term savings through energy efficiency, maintenance and overall operational costs. Green buildings feature many major selling points that could help you close a sale or lease agreement over buildings that are not designed with the environment in mind. 

Environmental benefits

•  Enhance and protect biodiversity and ecosystems
•  Improve air and water quality
•  Reduce waste streams
•  Conserve and restore natural resources

Economic benefits

•  Reduce operating costs
•  Create, expand, and shape markets for green product and services
•  Improve occupant productivity
•  Optimize life-cycle economic performance

Social benefits

•  Enhance occupant comfort and health
•  Heighten aesthetic qualities
•  Minimize strain on local infrastructure
•  Improve overall quality of life

 Any building can be a green building. Homes, schools, commercial buildings, healthcare facilities and more are now being constructed with a vested interest in conserving energy and water. Green buildings are designed to reduce waste and toxins with building materials and specifications that also help improve indoor air quality and sustain smart growth in neighborhoods, on Main Street and in industrial developments.

Want more good news? There are many local, state and national programs that reward builders for incorporating responsible green building components in construction and reconstruction projects.

 If you would like more ideas on how you can emphasize the environmentally friendly aspects of your building for sale, contact us today. If you’re looking for a green building to buy, we can help you there too. Green buildings are the wave of the future and there’s no time like the present to get started preserving our environment and our future.