What It Means

NC Green Build knows there is a lot of confusion and misrepresentation surrounding the word “Green” these days. Lost in that confusion is the homeowner searching for the reasons to buy or build a “Green” house.

So let’s start by letting you know why Green Building (and especially LEED certification) is important to our company and why we choose to build LEED houses:

  1. “Green Building’, when done correctly, means “Good Building”.

    2. Green building principles used in the LEED Certification process stress building principles that are far superior to the current building code in regards to durability of the house, design of the house, insulation, water use, and energy use.

     

  2. Energy efficiency is good for the homeowner.

    3. Lower water, power, and gas bills means you save money year after year over traditionally built homes.

     

  3. Efficiency is key for home buyers and house values.

    4. The simple fact is that energy costs are going to continually rise. Thus, the benefit of owning a house that already meets any new energy requirements is clearly a sound investment.

     

  4. “Green” Building, when done correctly, means “Healthy Building”.

    5. LEED Certification requires building processes that make the indoor air quality better than traditionally built houses. This is good for the occupants’ health. Some of these processes include cleaner air in the house and less breathable toxins.

     

  5. Green Building is good for the environment.

    6. Building a house that requires less energy, using building practices that eliminate excess waist, and using more responsible products is good for the homeowner and the environment.

     

  6. Green Building is here to stay.

    7. Energy efficiency and improved building standards will become more stringent over the next several years. This will be heightened by increasing energy costs. As technology and common practices to measure these attributes become more widely used, homeowners will demand homes that comply. For instance, it may become common practice when selling a house to do energy testing at a home inspection (such as infrared cameras to detect poor insulation and tests to see how much air leaks through exterior walls). As homeowners desire more efficient housing, purchasing or building a LEED certified house means you will own a house that will meet those increased standards and, therefore, own a more valuable house.

     

  7. The US Green Building Council LEED Certification process is the leader in sustainable building design and construction.

    8. There is current and will be future confusion in what different “Green Building” labels mean. Because of this, NC Green Build chooses the LEED Certification process because it is widely recognized and highly regarded as the premier Green rating systems for construction. The development of LEED began in 1993 and is one of the longest standing and proven systems available. Therefore, you can be confident that the LEED Certification your house achieves will always mean something good. This may not be true of other ‘new’ Green Building labels only now being developed.

     

Having NC Green Build construct your LEED Certified house means that you have a house that covers all of the topics above and has been verified by a certified third party to ensure its quality.