Color Me Green

A recent joint study released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and McGraw-Hill Construction has discovered that some 85 percent of homeowners who currently own green homes are happier with their new homes than with their previous houses--and those green homeowners are eager to share their experiences with others.

Even though the percentage of American homes that are truly green is still very small (some .3%), the study hints at the enormous potential of the green building market. As with all segments of the American economy, demand triggers supply, and builders seem to be responding to the ever-increasing demand by homebuyers for more energy efficient housing. That trend is reflected in the fact that nearly 2% of all residential housing built last year included at least one green building element, even if it only involved the installation of energy-efficient appliances.

However, the study also found that builders are beginning to move away from simple elements like green appliances and moving toward a more holistic approach toward green building. Such an approach considers all the factors that could be built into an "ideal" green home and allows homeowners to be involved in picking and choosing how green they want their home to be, given their financial situation and commitment to energy efficiency.

Owners of green homes aren't afraid to share their enthusiasm with others. They're so happy, as a rule, that they're eager to tell friends, family, and associates about their positive experiences, and as any marketing person will attest, word-of-mouth is the most powerful form of advertising. That has certainly proved to be the case with green home buyers, since full 28% of all new buyers said that they first heard about the concept of green homes by word-of-mouth. As time goes by, that good PR, spread by enthusiastic homeowners, will begin to translate into an explosion of green building as the good news begins to spread exponentially, according to the study.

It will ultimately prove to be a win/win proposition for everyone. Home owners will benefit from lower utility bills, the homes will require less planetary resources to maintain, and the price of green building will go down as more suppliers begin to provide products to meet the demand for more energy efficient construction. It's an exciting development, and bodes well for the entire industry--as well as for the Planet Earth itself. What could be better than that?

Copyright © 2007 Jeanette J. Fisher
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