Green Building in Frdericksburg

Green Building, Remodeling, Buying and Selling in Fredericksburg, TX

Green building or remodeling is a set of design and construction practices that promote the economic health and well-being of your family, the community, and the environment. A smart step toward personal economic rewards, green building also has positive social and environmental ramifications that assert your commitment to the future and the way we will live for years to come. The benefits of green building are real and affect everyone in Fredericksburg, TX:

Benefits for the builder, remodeler, architect:

Meet consumer demand

Keep up with the competition

Get media coverage and other publicity

Qualify to build homes funded by energy efficient mortgages

Save money

Benefits for the homeowner:

Financial savings

More comfort

Healthier living

Less maintenance and higher durability

Knowing you’re being good to the environment

Benefits for the realtor/product supplier:

Meet consumer demand

Get media coverage and other publicity

Keep up with the competition

Benefits for the city/county official:

Promote local businesses

Reduce burden on water and electric utilities

Safer, cleaner environments

Associated with a “model” city program

With most of us spending more than 90 percent of our time indoors, green building is the healthy, common sense choice for a better life.

As it stands now in traditional construction, indoor environments are often far more polluted than the outdoors because of outgassing from building materials and other variables. According to EPA reports, the air in new homes can be up to ten times more polluted than outside air because of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other chemicals used in product manufacturing. However, homes that follow green building guidelines use healthier paints and building materials, and adhere to stricter gas emission and ventilation requirements, which improves the quality of a home's indoor environment.

Green buildings often require fewer natural resources during construction. According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Center for Sustainable Development, buildings consume 40 percent of the world's total energy, 25 percent of its wood harvest and 16 percent of its water. A green built home can reduce this impact by as much as 60% compared to traditional construction.

More important than any statistic, however, is the good feeling you have when you know you’ve done what’s right for your family and your community. Promoting continued health, financial savings, and social responsibility, green building is the construction standard for the future and the smart solution for today.

If you are planning to purchase a lot and build a new home in Fredericksburg, TX be sure to review these simple criteria as you start to plan your new home. Be sure that the team you assemble (architect, builder, etc.) are as familiar with these energy saving tips as you are. A few simple, early planning steps and considerations can save you a lot of money in the long run!

If you are buying a new or existing home in our area please print this Green Homes Checklist and use it as a guide as you look for signs as to the possible energy efficiency of the homes on your list. Consider hiring an experienced, insured and certified energy rater to obtain the Home Energy Rating Score for the home or ask for and review the last 12 months of utility bills for the home

Sadly, buyers of real estate in Fredericksburg, TX will find a disturbing lack of truly "green" choices. The current gold standard for a home certified as "green" is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Energy Star label. To earn the ENERGY STAR, a home must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. EPA. These homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20–30% more efficient than standard homes. Details on specific features criteria that merit the Energy Star can be found HERE.

Key to the Energy Star program is the verification of efficiency by a third party "energy rater". An energy rater can also provide valuable services to sellers of Fredericksburg, TX real estate in that they can measure current efficiencies and suggest ways in which to improve upon the operation of your home. It is well-established that over 90% of buyers now list "energy efficiency" as a consideration in home selection. A more efficient home will not only save a seller money but will likely give them a "leg-up" on the competition as efficient homes sell more quickly and often at higher prices.

While there are currently no certified home energy raters in the Fredericksburg, TX area, this will soon be changing as I have prodded, cajoled, begged and encouraged on of the areas most reliable and experienced home inspectors to seek and obtain licensing to perform this important task. Who ever you decide to use, be sure they are licensed, insured, experienced, a member in good-standing with the nationally recognized trade organization RESNET and dedicated to the HERS system of energy rating.