Green Building Practices for Professionals

Green building is a process that fosters the conservation of energy and other natural resources and promotes a healthy environment. Green building encompasses every part of construction:

At its most basic, green building is a tripod of three interrelated goals.

Energy Efficiency – the cornerstone of any green building project. A well-designed and green-built home consumes as little energy as possible and uses renewable sources of enery whenver possible.

Conservation of Natural Resources – there are great varieties of effective building strategies:

use of durable products to reduce waste
specifying recycled-content products that reuse natural resources that conserve natrual resources and provide other benefits.

Indoor Air Quality – critical to the health of builders and a building’s occupants. Poor indoor air quality is often caused by mold and mildew that are the results of leaks or poorly designed and maintained heating and cooling systems.

Green FAQs

How will “Going Green” make me more money?

Green is not simply getting more respect; it is rapidly becoming a necessity as corporations—as well as home builders, retailers, health care institutions, governments, and others—push green buildings fully into the mainstream over the next five to ten years. Customers need help with this difficult project and will look to you as an expert to show them what needs to be done.

I thought green was just for Treehuggers.

Green Homes no longer look like they did in the 70’s. They now look normal and very diverse. Professionals who would not consider themselves “greenies” are adopting green practices. People can now see the real benefit of these practices and want to implement them in their own lives.

How will I talk to my customers about my green practices?

A home should be built to last a lifetime. If a homeowner considers a project too costly, remind them that the cost of fuels will continue to steadily rise and the payback period may be shorter than they think. Additionally, a home with a lower energy will stand out and appreciate faster in the resale market.

What kind of training am I going to give my team?

Greenbuilding.com has a team of green building specialists. One of our trainers can come to your business to train your team.  We can provide a one-day training to get your team ready to transition to green. This training will include marketing your business as green.

New to Green Building?

Here are some tips to get you started:

Test your market. Find out what is important to homebuyers in your area.
Focus on a single area, like water conservation, indoor air quality and get good at that. Then branch out.
Take on energy conservation and increased R-values in walls and roofs.
Get a blower test done on one of your homes.
Try changing te paints and finishes you have always used.
Test materials in your garage or on your own home.
See what works best for you and your trade contractors.
Get your staff and subs on board. Get your team involved and enthusiastic and they’ll be more likely to help and have good ideas of their own.