Hope for jobless construction workers: Residential green building

Residential Green Building; Photo by AP

New terms and phrases such as, self-sustaining communities, net-zero housing and near net-zero buildings are being used to describe homes and buildings that actually use less energy than they produce.

Back in 2002 the Department of Energy introduced the possibility that a home could produce as much energy as it used. This concept was pioneered to combat the estimated 40% of the nation’s energy consumption allocated for powering buildings and homes.

New Self-sustaining and Net-Zero Communities

Like most new technology green building technology comes with a hefty price tag. Net-zero homes can cost as much as 15% more than a standard construction home. Much of the additional cost is in the energy producing solar panels and collection systems. The solar rooftop panels for a standard 1600-1800 square foot home can cost an additional $8,000-12,000 for material and installation.

With that type of price tag it will take approximately 10-15 years for buyers of these types concept homes to recoup the additional upfront costs after all tax incentives and rebates have been taken. A pretty big price to pay in the current economic state of the real estate market.

Despite the price tag, a number of communities developing this technology have sprung up across the United States in the past five years. According to Jim Carlton of the Wall Street Journal:

In Greenfield, Mass., nonprofit Rural Development Inc. has completed eight of 20 planned duplex homes that use almost no net energy. In Berkeley, Calif., ZETA Communities Inc. plans to build a 30-unit net-zero apartment building after opening a factory that can construct 400 to 500 prefabricated net-zero homes a year. And in Green Valley, Ariz., builder Pepper Viner Homes says it plans to incorporate green techniques into a senior housing community so that it reduces energy use more than 50%. U.S. officials are working to wean federal buildings off fossil fuel by 2020, a step they say will help the buildings become almost net-zero energy users.

Government Funding Slow to Trickle Down

In addition to the high costs, government funding for green building and energy bills designed to create new jobs are continuously is getting bogged down in bureaucratic red tape. For example House Bill 80 which Gov. Rendell claims is needed to create green jobs and investment opportunities for the state of Pennsylvania has been stalled in legislation this week over a gaming legislation earmark in the bill.

This is not good news for the construction industry, with a nearly 20% unemployment rate. The many many months could conceivably stretch into years before this type of funding and investments actually find its way to America’s blue collar workers.

It is essential for American’s small businesses and particularly the local construction contractors and mechanical tradesmen to become familiar with and in certain cases obtain the necessary certification in green building technology available.

With most discussions and headlines being centered around the new construction industry, there are currently only whispers about green technology for existing homes and structures. Only a handful of cutting edge contractors offer services for remodeling the green way.

Green Building Modifications for Existing Homes

For homeowners many of the green building techniques and technology can be retrofitted to existing homes when maintenance and repairs are typically due. This will be the next ‘boom’ for the construction industry. Contractors and suppliers who get their foot in the door now are bound to be the leaders when the market does turn around and the funding does become available.

Energy star appliances and water heaters top the list of affordable green retro-fitted technology. Solar panels, heat pumps and high performance windows are a bit more pricey but are available for installation in existing structures.

In addition to the annual energy savings homeowners will enjoy, the government has made provisions in the American Recovery and Investment Act stimulus package for tax incentives for those making their existing homes eco-friendly and energy saving. Many state agencies also have allocated funds for water conservation, energy-efficient products and renewable energy system purchases and installations in existing homes.

For more information about energy incentives and rebates by state visit the U.S. Department of Energy site DSIRE. For information about the federal tax credits available for existing homeowners visit Energy Star.

To receive an alert when news about the residential construction industry and green building practices is posted simply subscribe to the Green Residential Examiner. Just scroll to the top of this article, and click SUBSCRIBE, addresses are not shared. Questions or comments can be sent to me via E-Mail. I'd love to hear from you!

Sources:

Jim Carlton, Builders Zero In on New Goal of Energy-Neutral Housing; The Wall Street Journal, www.online.wsj.com
Diane Mastrull, Push for alternative-energy bill ran out of gas; Philly.com, www.philly.com
Jeff Christian, Zero Sum Gain; Oak Ridge National Laboratory, www.ornl.gov