Catching On

Green isn't sustainable until it's affordable, says Rick Davenport, director of Sustainable Construction for BASF Corp. in Florham, N.J. Davenport spoke about green innovations during the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) International Builders’ Show earlier this year in Orlando.

Davenport said green products should be “affordable for all” — not just for consumers in narrow market segments.

Affordable is a key word for today’s homebuyers, who have been facing tough economic times. Even the most environmentally conscious consumers can't usually afford to shell out extra money for leading-edged home products just because they’re labeled “green.”

In Florida, however, there are many options for moderately priced, energy-efficient, green-certified homes, says Joe Weaver, who is a Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) certifying agent in Ruskin. He says many of the nation's largest builders have jumped on the green building bandwagon.

FGBC has certified about 3,000 homes since 2001, including homes built recently by K. Hovnanian Homes, David Weekley Homes and Southern Crafted Homes.

Meanwhile, KB Home announced in February an initiative to provide the KB Home Energy Performance Guide (EPG) with every new home the company sells. The EPG is a numerical rating of a home’s energy efficiency and an estimate of monthly electric and gas costs.

Think of it as similar to a miles-per-gallon rating, which reflects fuel efficiency on motor vehicles.

“For most people, buying a home is the largest and most important purchase they’ll ever make, and until now there has been no standard way to communicate a home’s estimated monthly energy costs,” says Jeffrey Mezger, president and chief executive officer of KB Home. “We believe providing the estimated monthly energy costs will not only empower our homebuyers, but also change the way people shop for a home.”

All KB homes built in the company’s communities are certified by a third-party inspector, who confirms that each home meets the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star guidelines.

Adds Weaver: “There's perceived value in going green, of course, but there must be a quantifiable value. Energy Star is quantifiable. I can tell you exactly how much you'll save. It's in black and white.”

The KB Home GreenHouse – the builder's first net-zero energy home – debuted and was open for tours during the International Builders Show. The home, which was created with Martha Stewart, is intended to actually produce more energy than it consumes over the span of a year.

“With an established track record of building all Energy Star homes in our new communities, we took this opportunity to go above and beyond,” says Metzger. “This home incorporates new ideas and technologies, including a real-time energy monitoring system and a solar thermal water heater. We believe these will one day be standard in all new homes.”

A variety of energy-efficient, eco-friendly home products were on display at the 2011 International Builders’ Show, which is one of the largest construction industry shows. Here are a few:

n Radiaflect. Radiaflect, a line of energy-saving reflective insulation products by Gorell Windows and Doors, features a highly reflective aluminum facing fused to both sides of a sheet of closed-cell polyethylene foam. This insulating sheet stops radiant heat transfer and limits convection and conduction heat transfer. Radiaflect qualifies for Energy Star certification as well as tax credits and rebates.

n  Brizio. Brizio is dedicated to working with the EPA to encourage efficient use of water resources; its RSVP collection meets WaterSense certification standards, which means it uses about 20 percent less water.

n  Cooper Lighting. Cooper Lighting has added LED track lighting luminaries to its Hal Stasis series. The LED fixtures contain no mercury and produce no harmful UV light. The new products are available in two sizes and the easy installation offers simple retrofit opportunities.

n  Delta. The Arzo showerhead by Delta Faucet Company was inspired by geometric designs found in modern furniture. It’s simple and bold – and it bears the WaterSense label, which means you’re conserving water while showering.

n  LifeTime lumber. LifeTime Lumber is an eco-friendly wood-alternative lumber suitable for a variety of purposes, including docks and pergolas. The engineered lumber is durable, low-maintenance and fire resistant. Plus, it’s made from recycled content.