Consumer Behavior And Green Building

July 15, 2009

Increased Consumer Demand – How People Want to Save Money and the Planet

Surveys reveal some important pieces of information on consumer behavior and trends.

Are you ready to meet the demand for educated green professionals?

The McGraw-Hill 2008 Construction Residential Green Building SmartMarket Report shows that:

44 percent of homeowners are remodeling with green products and practices.

There is a 10 percent increase in green home construction expected by 2010, up from 2 percent in 2005.

A consumer survey conducted by DoubleClick Performics & Opinion Research Corporation in February 2008 reveals the following about consumer behavior:

“Almost two-thirds (60%) of consumers find great importance in an environmentally-conscious company. Consumers are proactively researching and purchasing ‘green’ products that provide benefits to both the user and the environment.”

According to the survey conducted by The Shelton Group in January 2009, consumers prefer green products over conventional products:

• 71 percent want to save money
• 55 percent want to protect the environment
• 49 percent want to protect the quality of life for future generations

The demand for green homes is here!  Are you ready to meet the need for educated green professionals?

Rapid Growth And Popularity Of Green Building

July 1, 2009

General Trends in the Residential Sector

The need to build green stems from various socio-economic and environmental impacts caused by construction activity.  Impacts to the environment and the people can be reduced significantly through green building practices.

As building professionals seek to build efficiently and responsibly, green building provides ways to preserve our life supporting ecosystems.

Did You Know?

According to the EPA, US buildings account for:

• 39 percent of total energy use
• 12 percent of the total water consumption
• 68 percent of total electricity consumption
• 38 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions

According to the 2008 Buildings Energy Data Book U.S. buildings emissions are approximately equal to the emissions of Japan, France and the United Kingdom combined!

General Trends in the Residential Sector

The 2008 Buildings Energy Data Book provides the following pieces of information that present a snapshot of the trends in the residential sector in the United States.

756 square feet: the average size increase of a new, single family home since 1980, while the average number of household members stayed about the same.

113 million: the number of households in the United States in 2006.

141 million: the number of households in the United States expected by 2030.

27 percent: the percentage of internal gains of a home’s cooling load.

20 percent: the average percentage increase in energy expenditures per household from 1990.

2.18 kWh: the number of kWh’s needed to produce and deliver electricity for every 1 kWh used in the residential sector.

37 percent: the percentage of electricity consumed by the residential sector of all electricity produced in the United States, making it the largest consuming sector of electricity.

31.5 percent: the percentage of total energy expenditures from space heating in the residential sector; this number is more than double any other single end-use.

Carbon dioxide emissions: in the residential sector is attributed to be about the same as the number of carbon dioxide emissions by all of Central and South America combined.

10.4 cents per kWh: the average price of electricity for residential consumers in 2006.

3 percent: the approximate percentage of on-site renewable energy accounted for in the residential sector, most of which derived from wood combustion and was used for space heating.

1 percent growth: the average percentage growth rate estimated from 2006 to 2030 for electricity consumption in the residential sector.

63 percent: the approximate percentage of residential energy expenditures spent on electricity.

$225 billion: the approximate amount spent on energy by residential consumers in 2006.

32.2 million Btu’s: the number of Btu’s of natural gas used by the average family in public multi-family housing.

Green-built homes will save people’s health, money and the planet!

Construction Waste Galore!

June 15, 2009

Construction Waste and Its Environmental Impact – Something Must Be Done!

People generate a lot of waste through paper, packaging, remodeling, obsolete materials, increasing the trash in our landfills.

Construction activity also generates a lot of waste.

Consider these facts according to the 2008 Buildings Energy Data Book:  (LINK http://buildingsdatabook.eere.energy.gov/)

2 to 7 tons: the amount of total waste generated during the construction of a new single-family detached house.

15 to 70 pounds: the amount of hazardous waste generated during the construction of a single-family detached house.

30 to 35 million tons: the amount of annual waste U.S. builders produce in construction, renovation, and demolition.

24 percent: the approximate annual percentage of construction and demolition debris of the municipal solid waste.

27 percent: the total percentage of wood construction waste.

73 percent: the total percentage of other construction materials waste that includes cardboard and paper; drywall/plaster; insulation; siding; roofing; metal; concrete, asphalt, masonry, bricks, and dirt rubble; waterproofing materials; and landscaping material.

95 percent: the percentage of buildings-related construction waste that is recyclable, with most materials being clean and unmixed.

A typical 2,000 square-foot single-family home can produce the following construction waste:

Solid sawn wood               1,600 pounds

Engineering wood 1,400 pounds

Drywall                            2,000 pounds

Masonry                           1,000 pounds

Yiaks!  We all need to do our little part!

How To Find A Professional Green Builder Or Remodeler

May 1, 2009

An Educated Professional is Your Best Choice!

Professional green builders and remodelers distinguish themselves in many ways.  It is vital to do your research to find the right fit for you as you consider building or remodeling.

There are some key things to look for when searching for your next contractor.  A professional builder or remodeler will do the following.

1. A Professional Builder or Remodeler will educate you on green building concepts and why they are beneficial based on your family’s needs.

2. A Professional Builder or Remodeler will ask you questions about your family lifestyle and special needs that need to be considered for the new construction or remodeling.

He will take the time to show you short and long term benefits of green choices.

3. A Professional Builder or Remodeler will present you different selections for energy-efficiency and water-conserving practices.

4. A Professional Builder or Remodeler will give you the specifications on the change order guidelines he follows in the event of changes that you decide to make after the work has begun.

5. A Professional Builder or Remodeler will inform you the communication process he will follow to keep you informed during the construction or remodeling project.

6. A Professional Builder or Remodeler will give you the specifications on the change order guidelines he follows in the event of changes that you decide to make after the work has begun.

7. A Professional Builder or Remodeler will inform you the communication process he will follow to keep you informed during the construction or remodeling project.

A builder-homeowner relationship can suffer when unreasonable expectations are demanded from either party.  Having clear expectations from the beginning helps alleviate the unnecessary stress.

One of the things to keep in mind is that weather conditions and other situations that are outside the builder’s control can affect the delivery schedule.  In the event that you notice “no activity” at the jobsite, this could be because weather or other conditions have a direct effect on different phases of the work during construction.

Builders keep their eyes on the big picture.  Sometimes, a change may seem minor.  However, when looked at from a large perspective could actually be a huge change.  Maintaining good communication with your builder will eliminate misunderstandings and keep you abreast of all pertinent things you need to know throughout the process of construction or remodeling.

When looking for a builder, do consider the experience, but also the “chemistry” between you and him or her.  Women in particular have a “sixth” sense that serve as a barometer to measure the level of trust you have in that individual.  You would never do business with anyone you cannot connect with or just have that “bad feeling” about them.

A trustworthy and informed professional who knows what he or she is talking about and has some type of professional certifications, which shows that he cares about building right for his or her clients, overrides the identifier of many years of experience.

Many homeowners have tasted the bitter tears of hiring the wrong builder or remodeler because they simply based their decision on the length of experience of the individual they hired to work for them.

In short, when looking for a professional to build your home or remodel your existing house, look for that “hunch” feeling inside you.  Sometimes listening to that small quiet voice inside you can save you from lots of trouble and unnecessary headaches!

Breaking Free From Green Information Overload

March 15, 2009

How to Filter Green Information and Maintain Your Sanity

New requirements… new standards… new codes… new certifications… new verifications… new legal issues… new products… new services… new consumer demands… new green this… new green that… All this causes green information overload!

How can you embrace green, choose the strategies that are profitable and right for the market you serve, and preserve your sanity?

You may take a deep breath and know that you are not alone!

The green industry brings with lots of opportunities.  However, too much of information can cause confusion, and when confusion invades our minds we do nothing.  This state of mental paralysis can keep us from seeing the big picture, and making the changes that can potentially enhance the overall health and profitability of our businesses.

Whether you are new to green building or have many years of experience under your belt building traditionally, we all need to undergo a shift in perspective and in our thinking as we move towards greener practices and a greener economy.  Green is here to stay and business owners more than ever need to stay on the alert about the new developments in this arena.

So, how can you wrap your hands around the green monster, and what can you do to make it work for your business?

You can take the following fundamental steps to help you through this.

1. Clarify and Establish Your Business Goals

Going green is a big undertaking.  You do not want to go green just because everyone else is doing it.  There is a market that you already serve, or plan to serve, who is in demand for what you have to offer.  Clarify your business goals and decide where you want to position your company in the green marketplace.

2. Study Different Programs

There are numerous programs for green building, green product certification and professional certifications.  Study the different options and choose the program that aligns with your business goals.

3. Filter the Information

Be selective.  Green is not one size fits all. Not all the programs will enhance your business.  Gather all the facts, compare against your business goals, study the market you serve, or plan to serve, and then decide what aspects you will employ.

4. Define What You Will Do

Once you have done the filtering process, update your business goals that include the “green” aspects to position yourself as a leader in the industry you serve.

Clear goals will set a clear course for the success of your business!

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