Six Green Building Myths

The sustainable construction industry and green living initiative has really progressed over the past few years, however, some common myths still remain, deterring some homeowners from choosing to build a green home.  Here are a few of the most common residential green building myths.  

Green Building Costs Too Much

The idea that green building is too expensive is one of the most common misconceptions about the industry. This myth has been contested may times in the past with proof that green building is cost effective and affordable, however, many homeowners still call on this excuse to decline building a green home. One of the reasons this myth is still around is because a lot of the high-profile builders who get attention for Green Building are very high-end, promoting the idea that green building is more expensive. Of course, there are many affordable green builders, such as Olde Heritage Builders, who can work within a budget to create a home that sustains green building practices while remaining within a family’s price range.

Green Building is Only about Materials

When individuals think about green building, some of the first items that come to mind are green materials, like materials made out of recycled content, low embodied energy materials, no VOC’s, and more. However, although these green building materials are a part of the job, they aren’t the entire job. Green building includes more than just green materials, drawing in decisions like energy performance, site selection, and construction processes.

Green Building Products Don’t Work as Well

We admit that there are some “green” products that have given the industry a bad reputation, such as low-flow toilets and fiberglass insulation, however, the idea that these products don’t work as well as traditional construction products comes from comparison from outdated technologies. Next time anyone mentions how 1.6 gallon-per-flush toilets don’t work, let them know that they were mandated in all new construction over ten years ago. The truth is that green products work just as well, if not better than traditional construction materials.

Green Products are hard to Find

This too, is an outdated myth. In the past, green products were more difficult to purchase in some parts of the country, but over the past decade, the industry has grown exponentially, making green products readably available nationwide. It may be as simple as asking for a green alternative, or using resources like green directories and finding the right product for the job.

Green Homes look “Weird”

You don’t have to build a geodesic dome in order to have an energy efficient and sustainably built home. These days, green homes can be indistinguishable from any other home. For proof of this, check out the portfolio on OldeHeritage.com. Olde Heritage builds beautiful homes and communities that don’t visually advertise their “green” aspects, but do promote a quality built home with a focus on environmentally friendly construction.

Building a Green Home is Too Complicated

Home owners often think that building a green home is far too complicated to be considered. The truth lies in the fact that sustainability makes sense and many of the decisions in building a green home are fundamental. Building a green home isn’t a difficult or invasive problem, instead should be considered as a way to go back to the basics on home design and construction.

Check out ShieldsofGreen.com, a Raleigh Metropolitan Area green building directory that connects several green initiatives in the area, including OldeHeritage Builders, Ray Family Farms, NC Energy Savers, and Build Trust Contractors.

 

About Shields of Green:

Shields of Green and their respective businesses are based off one core belief: meet the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own. The shield is a symbol of leadership, determination, and battle. We are doing our small part in leading the fight for a more sustainable planet, and good stewardship for our planet. We also believe in and practice the triple bottom line principal, which we define as achieving financial profits in a free market system that does not jeopardize the planet and also stand's up for the social justice of all people. If you also believe in what is important to us, we can help you in some way. We look forward to helping each other. Relationships are what we specialize in growing and building the best. Visit www.shieldsofgreen.com for more information.

The Benefits of Green Building

With the growing concern regarding the global climate crisis over the past few years, the green building industry as gained attention as they change the face of the construction industry and introduce new standards in our building community. At times, it can seem as if sustainable building may just be a growing trend in the development industry, however, this movement in construction is an effective approach to meeting the demands of our time, with benefits that reach into three areas: environmental, economic and social.

Environmental

Reduced Emissions – One of the major contributors to the global climate change is the burning of fossil fuels for energy. Burning these fuels releases pollutants that cause air quality issues such as smog and acid rain, and can negatively impact human health. Fossil fuels also contribute to the growing hole in the ozone layer, directly correlated to the rising global temperature, causing environmental changes around the world. Green building techniques help reduce harmful emissions and increase energy efficiency by incorporating alternative sources of energy and utilizing renewable resources.

Temperature Moderation – The heat retention properties of materials such as concrete and asphalt are the primary cause of Urban Heat Island Effect, which is the tendency of an urban area to be hotter than its surroundings. Conscientious building design and site selection can help with this issue, as can the introduction of plant life and trees to new developments.

Stormwater Management – Without proper attention to stormwater management, heavy rains can cause waterway erosion and flooding. Stormwater can carry pollutants into water sources, potentially endangering the health of a population. Green building solutions can help control stormwater runoff by redirecting storm water, introducing permeable building materials and controlling overflow from roofs with green building roofing.

Economic

There is a common impression that sustainable building solutions are too expensive for most to consider. However, the truth is that the cost of green building is not that much higher than traditional building techniques, and can save a significant amount of money over the years in a variety of ways. Here are a few economic advantages

Increased property value- Low operating costs of green buildings are raising property values in the current economic market. Energy costs are rising, so homes already equipped with sustainable upgrades and low maintenance solutions will find that they are worth more than their traditional counterparts.

Lower energy costs- Green design provides many energy saving solutions which we had mentioned in the environmental benefits section, above, but lower energy costs is also an economic advantage, as it impacts the costs of maintaining a green building. Lower energy bills every month quickly make up the difference in cost for sustainable building.

Improved Work Environments- Green design often features an increase in natural lighting, ventilation and temperature attributes, and takes indoor air quality into high concern. This attention to detail results in a building environment that is healthier for the occupants, which helps improve work life for organizations housed in green buildings. Studies have shown that employee attendance, sales and productivity all have a positive correlation with green building features.

Social

Improved Health- We touched on improved indoor air quality in the economic section of this article, but this also falls as a social benefit because improved air quality results in improved health. Many buildings can suffer from a variety of indoor environment issues such as poor artificial lighting, temperature variances, high concentration of pollutants, mold buildup, and other problems which could cause major respiratory issues and other health concerns. Green buildings tend to emphasize low emissions, proper ventilation and non-toxic materials, creating a better environment for everyone.

Healthier Lifestyles- Sustainable building practices emphasize the conservation of nature, bringing attention to the outdoors and natural environments in our community. This attention promotes a healthier lifestyle involving nature conservation and personal health and fitness.

Improved Schools- When addressing how a buildings environment impacts the occupants, it is necessary to acknowledge the impact that poor school buildings are having on the children of our communities. As improved building environments increase productivity and work morale, it does the same with our kids in school. Green schools promote better learning atmospheres, reduce absenteeism, and promote the value of our planet.

 

As a part of the Olde Heritage team and home builders in the Raleigh NC area, the decision to stick to sustainable construction was based in our commitment to do our part in building a better future. We saw an opportunity to change the future of our industry by focusing on what we could do to conserve energy, promote our environment, give back to society and ensure a greener future for our kids. If you would like to learn more about what we are doing to promote green building in our area, visit our website at http://www.oldeheritage.com, or visit our partner site, http://www.shieldsofgreen.com, to see more about the conservation and sustainability movement in our area.