Green Building

Thanks to more new products and product improvements, new homes are now built 100% more energy-efficient than homes built twenty and thirty years ago. energy improvements can and will save you money and help protect the environment. The long term benefits of green building are constantly increasing. Learn more about “green” and making your home more energy efficient in this section.

The Basics

Energy Innovation: How Homes Become Green

What does it mean to build green?

Incorporating home building practices that maximize resource efficiency and minimize the impact on the environment.

How do you build a home to be green?

With a well-built and well-maintained home, you can reap the green benefits: your family’s comfort and your home’s value.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Appliances, insulation, windows and heating systems are designed to work together – and to lower your utility bills.

WATER EFFICIENCY: A green home is designed to conserve water –inside and out.

RESOURCE EFFICIENCY: Recycled materials, waste management, and durable construction.
LOT AND SITE DEVELOPMENT: A light footprint on the earth, too.

INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY: Proper ventilation and products that don’t “off-gas”.

HOMEOWNER EDUCATION: Knowing how to operate and maintain your green
home is as critical as getting it built right.

What are the benefits of living in a green home?

Lower costs to operate home: Energy-efficient appliances and HVAC systems can result in lower energy consumption.  Water-saving low-flow toilets, showers and bathroom faucets will mean less water consumption.  Panels that convert solar power to electricity and that heat water can reduce dependence on public utilities.

Less maintenance: Longer-performing materials require less repair and replacement, and drought-tolerant landscaping can keep the yard from requiring continuous care, which saves time and resources for the home owner.

Improved air quality: Proper ventilation from installing HVAC systems that are the right size for the home and low-VOC paint that emits fewer gasses can help improve air quality. Windows and doors that create a tight seal will keep out the elements, including moisture that can cause mold and other issues.

Tax credits:

      25C - Home owners now can claim up to $1,500 in expanded energy-efficiency tax credits for remodeling their principal residence  to reduce energy consumption. There are two classes: the first is through building envelope improvements, including insulation, doors, windows and roofing and the second class is qualified energy property, including hot water tanks, boilers, fans, air-conditioning units and heat pumps.
      25D - In addition to expanding the 25C tax credit, the 25D Wind, Solar, Geothermal and Fuel Cell Tax Credit for renewable energy products now provides larger incentives for installing geothermal heat pumps, solar panels, solar hot water heaters, small wind energy systems and fuel cells. Although the upfront costs are high for these products, the tax credit is 30% and there is no cap on their cost through 2016. Taxpayers can claim the credits on IRS Form 5695.

Information provided by the National Association of Home Builders.  Click here to read more!

Find a Green Builder

Learn even more by visiting the following sites and reading the how and why of building green! 
-    www.greenbuiltmichigan.org
-    www.nahb.org
-    www.dsireusa.org