Is Green Building Worth It?

Reduce, Reuse, Remodel

Is My Green Building Worth It?

Posted by Philip Higgs on July 5, 2007 - 5:02am.

Ah, the 4th of July, when we finally threw off the chains of our English oppressors and gained the freedom to do all sorts of things, like become stupid college students and set off really loud fireworks all night long in residential neighborhoods. What I wouldn’t give for a couple of Redcoats with bayonets to patrol my block for a few hours.

Anyway. A friend of mine who’s also an RRR reader was making fun of my previous post at a pre-Fourth party the other night. “It’s like, ‘Nothing’s happening, so I’m going to write about nothing, blah blah blah.’” (Yes, she’s a very mean and horrible person. Hi Kim!) But it’s true: Nothing is happening. Well, a little something. The architect turned in our studio plans for approval yesterday; the city told him they should be approved and ready for permits by… July 20th. Two weeks from now, and about a week before I go on a month’s vacation. So, uh, whattaya you guys wanna talk about?

One thing that’s on my mind as we wait for the permits is whether all this is worth it. My wife and I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Boulder. (When the students start bombing our place with bottle rockets, we tend to hate it. A lot.) So we might move soon – like, within the next couple of years. I want the new studio: I need a home office, which is currently in our bedroom – not a good separation of home and work, let me tell you. I want the studio to be green – not because I have so-called green guilt (a notion which, frankly, is total BS), but because it makes a lot more sense in my situation than typical or “normal” construction techniques. The place will be warmer in winter, cooler in summer, more energy efficient, and thus cheaper to own – the list is long.

But is it worth it to go through 20 percent more rigamorole just for a green building? If we were to rebuild with standard-issue construction, I’d probably be done already. I might not have even needed to tear it down in the first place – I just would have sprayed a gallon of pesticides over the thing every month and called it good. If we move along and sell this house, will the real estate market look at the studio and say, “Straw bale? Oh, that’s totally worth another $50,000!” Is the next guy going to care that I reused all the beams? Or that the walls are R-42? Or is just going to want to know if the stupid college kids are going to set his new house on fire?

Topics:

Why must there always be a title?

by Wendy_B. on July 5, 2007 - 8:21am

I started reading for the green home improvement advice, but stayed for jokes about B movies and redcoats. So tell Kim to suck it!

(J/K, Kim!)

If I wasn't planning on staying put for a while, I'd ask myself if I can live without a studio for the next two years, and whether the property needs a studio in order for me to make a profit on its sale. Maybe a nice big yard would be just as saleable?

On the other hand, there's the argument that building the studio is good practice for building a future green home.

???

suck it, Kim!

by phiggs on July 5, 2007 - 9:51am

The trouble is, there's already a studio there -- it's just rickety as shiz and being eaten by ants. So I have to do *something* with it. If I just fancy it up as is, then I'm still expending energy and money and natural resources, but with the knowledge that the building likely will be torn down (or finally eaten to bits) in the next few years. Not exactly green -- or all that ethical, really, if we do go ahead and move. Passing the buck kind of thing.

If I just tore it down, there's still the concrete slab out there. Maybe we could make that into a patio area -- but a big slab isn't really all that attractive, and wouldn't really fit with the rest of the property.

So like I said, I think something needs to be done with the studio. And I think the best option - but certainly not the easiest -- is rebuilding it. At the very least, it's good fodder for blogging. (And when things FINALLY get going with the construction, these posts are going to be a lot more picture-heavy, with a lot of progress-reporting -- more how-to than why-should-I -- and I'm really looking forward to that.)

As to your second point, that's kind of what I was thinking. I do want to build my own house someday -- whether that's after the apocalypse or sometime sooner -- so this is kind of a test run. Building a house will be a piece of cake after this joint!

speaking for the masses

by kraby on July 5, 2007 - 10:51am

i was just trying to get phil to stop dilly dallying and post more comics about kaia the wonderdog!

clear as mud

by Fraser on July 5, 2007 - 10:34am

If you plan on moving then it would make sense to direct the majority of your resources towards the purchase of a potentially greener home. The trouble with that is exactly what you seem to be struggling with atm. Will you get the return on any investments that you put into your current property if you green it up? How does the scale balance on a eco responsibility vs economic sensibility tilt - and will the future owner even care either way? Big thoughts.

~ Greener today than I was yesterday!

I'd Say It's Worth It!

by Rhuth on July 5, 2007 - 12:24pm

Most Realtors would agree. http://www.realtor.org/rmomag.nsf/pages/Feat1200707?OpenDocument

Here is some green market data I gleaned while getting my certification from EcoBroker. http://www.ecobroker.com

When you build the studio, have a certified Energy Star inspector come out and rate it. Have them rate your home too, while they are there. More than 2,000 builders have constructed over 200,000 Energy Star qualified new homes, locking in financial saveings for homeowners that exceed $60 million annually. The nations 10 largest homebuilders are now Energy Star partners, and 23 of the top 25 builders offer Energy Star qualified homes. It is something that will get marketed when you sell your home. Even if your home does not qualifiy, the rating it is given can enable the buyer to qualify for a larger loan to make it more energy efficient before they move in. Government programs have incentives for such things.
Do a quick search for an organization that specializes in green residential buildings in your area. I know Built Green operates near you in Colorado, and Build it Green is my local one in the SF bay area. They might be able to help you with your project, and any certification they offer can be marketed like the Energy Star Marketing mentioned above.
Analysis indicates home value increases by about $20 fir evert $1 recuction in annual utility bills. ("More Evidence of Rational Market Vlaues for Home Energy Efficiency" from the Appraisal Journal)
94% of 300 American consumers surveyed by the Cahners Residential Group cited their most sought-after green upgrade as energy savings, followed by water-saving appliances and recycled building materials. In addion, roughly nine in then (91%) said energy efficient features in a new home are extremely or very important.
In a 2002 nationwide study of more than 400 home buyers conducted by American LIVES, more than half the respondents said they were willing to pay more for formaldehyde-free insulation, environmentally friendly paints, solvent-free adhesives, and other materials that do not release chemicals into the air.
In 2003, with the help of energy efficient technologies, Americans saved over $8 billion on their energy bills while preventing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the emissions from 18 million vehicles. These benifits have helped develop a national market for energy efficient products, with more than one billion Energy Star products sold and billions of square feet of building space improved.
The most important environmental issues for consumers are: saving energy, using recycled content building products, improving air quality, and saving old-growth trees.

When you sell your home, my advice would be to market your home's green qualities. Certainly a studio built with green in mind from the ground up is marketable! There are people willing to pay a premium, and even move farther away in an effort to find a green home. Make sure your home gets marketed in:

http://listedgreen.com/

http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/green_real_estate.htm

http://www.greenhomesforsale.com

and http://www.dwelgreen.com

Never price your home higher for any upgrade. Price your home competitvely with your neighbors. The lower you price your home, the more people will see it, and bid the price up. This is especially true if they are competing for a green building. You can always reject an offer if no one competes like you expected, and raise the price. However, lowering the price and following the market down cannot be fixed, and makes your home a dud whether you built it with straw bale or baby seal fur!

Have fun with your renovation, and rest assured: it is definately worth it to build it green.

Things I wanted to cite with this, but couldn't link:

dex...

tm...

http://www.builtgreen.org/default.htm

http://www.builditgreen.org

www.icfi.com/Markets/Community_Development/doc_files/apj1099.pdf

http://www.instat.com/

R/banker%20&%20tradesman.DOC...

http://www.americanlives.com/

http://www.iuoe.org/cm/iaq_greenbuild.asp?Item=440

http://www.epa.gov/appdstar/pdf/cppd2003.pdf

http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=5556

I'd Say It's Worth It!

by Rhuth on July 5, 2007 - 12:27pm

Most Realtors would agree.

Here is some green market data I gleaned while getting my certification from EcoBroker.

When you build the studio, have a certified Energy Star inspector come out and rate it. Have them rate your home too, while they are there. More than 2,000 builders have constructed over 200,000 Energy Star qualified new homes, locking in financial saveings for homeowners that exceed $60 million annually. The nations 10 largest homebuilders are now Energy Star partners, and 23 of the top 25 builders offer Energy Star qualified homes. It is something that will get marketed when you sell your home. Even if your home does not qualifiy, the rating it is given can enable the buyer to qualify for a larger loan to make it more energy efficient before they move in. Government programs have incentives for such things.
Do a quick search for an organization that specializes in green residential buildings in your area. I know Built Green operates near you in Colorado, and Build it Green is my local one in the SF bay area. They might be able to help you with your project, and any certification they offer can be marketed like the Energy Star Marketing mentioned above.
Analysis indicates home value increases by about $20 fir evert $1 recuction in annual utility bills. ("More Evidence of Rational Market Vlaues for Home Energy Efficiency" from the Appraisal Journal)
94% of 300 American consumers surveyed by the Cahners Residential Group cited their most sought-after green upgrade as energy savings, followed by water-saving appliances and recycled building materials. In addion, roughly nine in then (91%) said energy efficient features in a new home are extremely or very important.
In a 2002 nationwide study of more than 400 home buyers conducted by American LIVES, more than half the respondents said they were willing to pay more for formaldehyde-free insulation, environmentally friendly paints, solvent-free adhesives, and other materials that do not release chemicals into the air.
In 2003, with the help of energy efficient technologies, Americans saved over $8 billion on their energy bills while preventing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the emissions from 18 million vehicles. These benifits have helped develop a national market for energy efficient products, with more than one billion Energy Star products sold and billions of square feet of building space improved.
The most important environmental issues for consumers are: saving energy, using recycled content building products, improving air quality, and saving old-growth trees.

Listed Green

EcoBusiness Green Real Estate

Green Homes For Sale

Dwell Green

Have fun with your renovation, and rest assured: it is definately worth it to build it green.

There are many articles, studies and websites I wanted to cite here but could not. I'll have to post them in my own blog.

your own blog?

by phiggs on July 6, 2007 - 5:53pm

Do tell.

Thanks for all the info. I've been meaning to check in with Built Green for some time. Now that the studio's in a holding pattern, I'll put it on my list...

Thanks again for the great contributions.

I would love to tell!

by Rhuth on July 8, 2007 - 11:03am

But I can not seem to be able to put a web address in a comment. I'll try this... I made my comment including all the links a post in my blog at holly-g.blogspot.com/2007/07/green-building-is-worth-it.html. Include an h t t p : / / before that, and no w's.

Did that work?

Duplicate Post

by Rhuth on July 16, 2007 - 8:43pm

My apologies for the duplicate posts.

go for it!!

by Monmac1 on July 5, 2007 - 12:41pm

I think what you are doing is TOATALLY worth all the effort! I just recently moved here a month ago, before I lived here I lived in Colorado Springs..... So I know the area where you are very well! And I know that in the Springs everyone is trying to go green. We had just got alot of stores in the city where we could go shopping for more eco friendly products. WHEN your plans get approved I think that you should advertise what you guys are doing, go to the newspaper and I know they would be more than happy to put in a article. ($$$$) Common honeslty, who does not want to add some equity to their house and be green at the same time!!

On the issue of if the new owner will care about all you did, who knows?!?! In the end, you did something for our planet and you are getting more money for your property for it. So the owner might not care or even know, but WE know what you did. I give you major props for it! Honestly I dont think you will have a problem with finding buyer that is eco friendly and they will be more than happy to buy your property!!

(Just as a hint advertise in the Springs when you are getting ready to sell, I think you will get ALOT of calls!!)

Good Luck on everything, let us know how it goes!!

Have to build it!

by Statuesqueone on July 5, 2007 - 9:51pm

You can't just not build it at this point! You have put so much of yourself into it so far it would be a shame to not finish it. Okay so it's not really even started yet, but you'll be surprised how fast it goes up once you do start it. And you can't just leave us with this unfinished project, we want to see the pictures of you in your studio, sans the ants!

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