Green Florida: On the Bandwagon

For his earth-friendly effort, Hardwick earned the Multifamily Remodeling Project of the Year award at the National Green Building Conference. The event, sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), was held earlier this summer in Dallas.

“We put an awful lot of planning and work into that project,” says Hardwick, owner of Hardwick General Contractors. “It was unbelievable to get the call from the NAHB and find out we were going to be honored. And it was great to get some recognition for Central Florida.”

In fact, competition in the various green categories was particularly intense. That’s because builders and remodelers everywhere are becoming more environmentally conscious, emphasizing energy conservation, sustainable materials and indoor air quality.

At the NAHB conference, more than 30 classes were offered on green-related 
topics and attendees could earn credits toward becoming a Certified Green Professional (CGP). About 2,850 building industry pros nationwide have already earned certification, according to NAHB, with about 700 in Florida.

Indeed the green-building market is growing by leaps and bounds, thanks to increased consumer interest in environmental stewardship.

Need proof? Just check out McGraw-Hill Construction’s Green Outlook 2009: Trends Driving Change report. It projects that the demand for green-built homes will more than double by 2013.

Of course, builders and re-modelers aren’t the only ones gearing up for a greener marketplace. Last year, the Green REsource Council and the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) Green Designation were established by the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council, a NAR subsidiary. So far, more than 1,250 Realtors have earned the designation and by the end of this year, according to NAR, there’ll be at least 3,000.

Locally, a number of builders have incorporated green technologies and practices into their projects. Among them is Nathan Cross, who is a Certified Green Professional and owner of NWC Construction.

Cross recycled 85 percent of the building material and waste during a recent green home renovation. “Our landfills would be half the size they are if we all did this,” Cross says. “We’re going to recycle all of our construction sites. Basically it costs you $200 or maybe $300 extra. So we’re going to continue to do it because I think it’s the right thing to do.”

Also in Dallas, industry pros heard about the costs of making greener choices and got an up-close look at some of the eco-friendly products on the market today. It’s valuable knowledge, Hardwick says.

“For me, one of the biggest 
hurdles in starting green building—especially in Central Florida—was actually finding subs and suppliers and sources to put it all together,” Hardwick says. “The advantage to going to these conferences is that builders get almost inundated with a variety of different products, a variety of different educational sessions 
and a variety of different local sources to put everything together. That’s really the biggest benefit.”

While energy efficiency is still driving green construction and remodeling, other eco trends are also emerging. Water conservation, for example, is a hot topic these days, says Ian McCook, president of Nvision, which is developing The Sage at Winter Park.

The new 72-unit townhome project just off Aloma Avenue on North Goldenrod Road is using water-conserving fixtures such as low-flow showerheads, tankless water heaters and dual-flush toilets. The Sage is also incorporating water-smart landscape design, with rain sensors and drip irrigation systems that distribute water directly to the plants that need it.

Nvision is seeking certification through several programs, including Energy Star and the Florida Green Building Coalition.

The Sage’s units, which range in size from about 1,000 to 1,500 square feet, are priced from the $170s to under $300,000—an excellent price point for a green community with a close-in, Winter Park address.

McCook, who has CGP certification and is a member of the Urban Land Institute, says that modular construction is another eco-friendly trend. “The majority of our homes are built in a factory,” he says. “It eliminates waste.”

Builders and developers are also harnessing solar power. “Producing zero-energy homes on a mass scale is likely still a few years away because of the costs involved,” says Shad Tome, president of the development company for Harmony, a sustainable community in east Orlando" target=_blank>Osceola County. “But we’re seeing the use of solar panels for things like solar hot water heaters. A few homes in our community have already done that.”

Also catching on among home-
buyers are communities focused on land conservation, Tome says. At Harmony, 70 percent of its 11,000 acres will remain undeveloped, providing a sanctuary for wildlife and native plants.

The master-planned community was designed to strike a balance between nature, environmental health and resident amenities, with trails, two lakes and a golf course. Expect to see more new communities striving for this balanced mix, Tome says. Golf has moved down the homebuyer wish list, he notes, while natural amenities are moving up.

“People are wanting to get back to nature,” Tome adds. “They want the ability to interact with nature.”