Green doesn’t have to cost money

While the “in” color right now around the world is definitely green, are home buyers willing to pay more for a green home? Apparently not, according to a recent survey of prospective home buyers by the National Association of Home Builders. While buyers want energy efficient new homes, most wouldn’t pay more for a green home. Of those buyers who were willing to pay more for energy efficiency, 57 percent wouldn’t pay more than an extra two percent.* On a new home price of $150,000, that equates to paying $3,000 more to help save the earth.

The term “green” means different things to different people. Perhaps if the housing market doesn’t support more expensive green homes at this time, builders should look at the way they conduct their daily business and see what efforts they could implement around the office to “go green.” They can recycle paper, aluminum cans, plastic and newspaper. They can encourage employees to bring their own reusable cups from home instead of using Styrofoam containers. They can keep the office thermostat warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter to save on utility bills. They can encourage sending documents via email instead of printing so many weekly reports. They can examine and implement ways to diligently reduce construction waste on the jobsite. They can drive fuel-efficient vehicles and leave the Hummers and heavy-duty trucks at home.

Going “green” at home doesn’t have to cost money. My family and I proudly fill up our recycling bin every week for the City of Norman. I’d love to see my town implement a payment system where residents are charged for the amount of trash put out and credited for all the pounds of materials they recycle.

Would I pay more for a green home? At this time, probably not. But I will continue to encourage my company to look for more ways to “go green” during our day-to-day operations. And I’ll continue filing my big green recycling bin to the brim each week. Now if Norman would only start doing curbside cardboard recycling.

*The Oklahoman, Sept. 19, 2009

 Jan Sperry Astani
Marketing Director
Home Creations