Assume for the moment that you care not one whit about the environment and are motivated only by greed and self-interest. You likely, therefore, would be interested in the fact that “green” homes have a 5 percent to 12 percent higher value and spend up to 33 percent less time on the market than nongreen homes. Those statistics — reported in a Wednesday Columbian story by Stephanie Rice — come from a study by the Northwest-based Multiple Listing Service of home sales in Portland and Seattle.
What are green homes (which, by the way, come in all colors)? They’re new-technology homes that boast substantial energy, water and resource efficiencies. They have modern appliances and windows, and low-flow shower heads, faucets and toilets. Daylight use is maximized. Many of the construction materials are renewable and/or recycled. State-of-the-art, economical equipment is used to circulate air and hot water.
All of which is good for both the environment and the occupants of the house, even that cheapskate we described who’s only interested in lower utility bills. The trick, though, is how to implement and promote construction of green homes. Incrementally? Or quickly and forcefully? Clark County commissioners are using the carrot, not the whip. For now, they’re recommending standards rather than imposing requirements. This troubles some environmental activists who would like to accelerate the green-home trend. That pace may increase in the future, but as our community in general and the construction industry specifically struggle to recover from the recession, a gradual conversion to green homes is best.
County commissioners on Tuesday embraced the National Green Building Standard (written in part by the National Home Builders Association) for unincorporated areas and small cities. The city of Vancouver has yet to adopt such a standard. The code provides ideas for builders interested in energy-efficient homes. Many local builders already are ahead of the curve on this issue. Well, they should be, because it’s in their best business interests. Mike Selig, the county’s energy efficiency coordinator, told commissioners recently that “a few years ago, energy efficiency wasn’t one of the top 10 things people wanted in their homes. Now it’s in the top three.”
