The Green House-Building Effect
Long-term Benefits for the Earth - and Your Bank Account
By Carrie Chandler
From turning Chicago's rooftops into gardens to Wal-Mart's pledge to reduce energy consumption by 30 percent in new stores through skylights, lighting and improved refrigeration, the green building movement has gone decidedly mainstream, and Vermonters are joining up as both purveyors and consumers.
According to the U.S. Green Building Council, over $7 billion was invested in the green building products and services market in 2005, and that number continues to grow. Vermont is on the cutting edge of that trend, according to Nancy Mears, executive director of the Vermont Green Building Network (VGBN).
"There has been a very dedicated core of environmental designers, builders, and home owners for over 30 years - there are probably close to 1,000 homes operating 'off grid' in Vermont - but the past three or four years have seen practices move more into the mainstream," Mears says.
Between 2001 and 2006, the total number of new homes in Vermont receiving Energy Star certification grew from 10 percent to 30 percent, according to Pat Huller, Efficiency Vermont's manager for the Residential New Construction Program.
Although momentum is growing, Huller says that green building has caught on more quickly in commercial than in residential construction. Commercial green building is certified through the Leadership in Efficiency and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program, which holds architects and builders to standards in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. But residential green building has no equivalent nationally recognized certification program.
So Building for Social Responsibility, an association of Vermont building professionals, has created the Vermont Builds Greener (VBG) scorecard for residential green building certification. This should help, according to Mears, who noted that, "with the rating systems, people are able to quantify and measure green building attributes, and more builders and architects are seeking training to be able to meet demand."
Building for Social Responsibility is still trying to get the word out about its VBG scorecard. "We're getting closer to critical mass. Enough people are trying it. The next step is getting certified," Huller explains. There are ten VBG certified houses so far, with 15 more in the process of being certified. The first completed projected was in Plainfield in September of 2004, according to Peter Schneider of Efficiency Vermont.
To obtain VBG certification, buildings are measured against criteria in siting and land use, building design, durability, energy use, resource impacts, and indoor air quality. Buildings must accumulate 100 points on the scorecard as well as meet all Energy Star requirements.
Building green can add to construction costs, but typically only two to three percent, according to recent studies, Mears says. The additional costs are mostly due to additional time spent designing and modeling energy systems to save expenses long-term. The current fee for certification is $400.
Green or sustainable materials also add costs, although that may change, according to Huller: "One of the problems in getting green products is that you are special ordering. Once green building takes off and these products are in the market, prices will go down."
Green building strategies generally address improving energy efficiency - selecting more efficient appliances and improved insulation, for example - or opting for sustainable products, like bamboo, locally harvested wood, or items with recycled content. It costs a an estimated extra $1,800 to $2,000 for materials to obtain the Energy Star certification through Efficiency Vermont, with payback occurring in three years or less. "There are certain instances in which the payback is even negative," says Huller, and the savings actually exceed the investment quickly. "We try to get people to build south facing windows, and then it's instantaneous," he noted.
There are state and federal resources to defray the additional costs of green building for residential homes, both new constructions and retrofitting existing homes. Efficiency Vermont offers incentives for building design, lighting and appliances and a state program offers rebates for solar heat, solar panels, and small wind power.
The Legislature is also considering a bill to expand Efficiency Vermont's purview to include propane and other heating fuels in addition to electricity, following three weeks of hearings on global warming early in the session. (See Eyes of Ceres, below) "We realized that, with the increasing cost of heating fuels, green building programs are going to become more needed and active," says Senator Ginny Lyons (D-Chittenden), chair of the Senate Natural Resources Committee.
Lyons called expanding Efficiency Vermont the beginning of a fast-growing industry and jobs sector in Vermont. "There is a huge need right now for more certified green builders, people who can weatherize homes and businesses--and that will just increase," Lyons says. Once the utility is in place, and homes are working to become more efficient through weatherization, "all of that money we have been putting into our furnaces, we are going to be putting into the pockets of Vermonters." She noted that Vermonters currently spend $250 million on heating each year, over half of which goes out of state.
The Senate's plan would offer incentives of up to $1,000 to homeowners or builders for weatherization, funded in part by a one percent fuel efficiency charge. "When you put electric and heating efficiency together, you will see a benefit of three to four times the investment you make," Lyons says. Although many families will not appreciate spending that extra money each month, for those that choose to participate in the program, Lyons estimates the average savings to be $400 - $500 a year. "The math speaks for itself."
With new local, residential certification programs and increased incentives, homeowners have no reason to overlook green building in their plans. As Lyons says, "Vermont should be on the cutting edge of this, and I think we are."
Does Building Green Really Save You Money?
Chris and Bonny Granda live in a green home that they built in Richmond. Their house, which was completed in autumn 2005, is both an Energy Star home and a Vermont Builds Greener certified home.
Energy Efficiency measures taken in the building of the home:
Solar hot water - two solar thermal collectors are mounted on the house's south facing roof, and the home has an 80-gallon storage tank. This provides over half of the hot water used by the family of four. Cost before rebates: $3,500.
Hydronic heating w/ condensing boiler - The house uses a propane-fired condensing boiler. When the boiler is working at peak efficiency, the steam produced by the combustion of propane condenses back into liquid water within the boiler. When the exhaust gases condense, they release the energy that went into making the steam, and this energy recaptured to heat the house. The boiler also provides heat to the hot water tanks as needed at night and on cloudy days.
Spray foam insulation - This type of insulation provides a higher insulation value per inch than fiberglass, and seeps into all the cracks to ward off cold pockets in the house.
Energy-efficient windows - Energy Star windows were installed throughout the home.
Energy recovery ventilator - The ventilator exchanges the stale air from the inside of the house with fresh air from the outside. When making this exchange, it takes the heat and humidity from the outgoing air and incorporates it into the incoming air.
Drain water heat recovery system - The family relies on a well for its water. This system, located in the basement, takes heat from the drain water and uses it to heat the incoming well water before it reaches the hot water heater. This reduces the work of the hot water heater, adding 10-15 percent efficiency.
Efficient lighting and appliances - Most appliances in the home are Energy Star certified, and compact florescent lights provide most of the lighting.
The incremental costs of the Granda's high performance upgrades ran around $48,000 and their annual savings based on their reduction in monthly payments is around $2600. They are looking at around an 18-year payback with current fuel prices. As the fuel prices increase, as they inevitably will, the payback gets shorter and shorter.
Source: Efficiency Vermont
Carrie Chandler is a freelance writer living in Barre.
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