26 | US VIEWPOINT WORDS | Cindy Fauth
BUSINESS
www.opp.org.uk |MARCH 2011
Greener in the USA
When it comes to “being green”, the United States is notoriously behind the curve in comparison to Europe. Many Americans are passionate about the environment, but sometimes it can feel very hard to fi nd green in the land of the red, white, and blue. Cindy Fauth reports on what is happening in the USA and why...
reducing their carbon footprint, and they really are working diligently toward that goal. The primary difference between
M
the green real estate movement in Europe and that in the United States lies in the way that government makes and implements policy. Though many are in their infancy,
the United States is experiencing an increase in local, state, and federal government regulations and incentives for green building. Furthermore, it is now easier than ever for buyers to locate and evaluate green properties in the U.S.
What is the U.S. doing to go green? The United States is making great strides to green the real estate industry, as evidenced by the increase in municipal mandates.
According to McGraw-Hill
Construction, as of September 2010, green building legislation
any Americans, as individuals, are passionate about
and initiatives were present in 12 federal agencies and 33 states, and local government initiatives have dramatically increased, from 156 localities in 2008 to 384 localities in 2010.
Considered an “early adopter” of green, the California Building Standards Commission unanimously adopted the fi rst-in-the-nation mandatory Green Building Standards Code (CALGREEN) in January 2010, requiring that all new buildings in the state be more energy effi cient and environmentally responsible. The new code took effect January
1, 2011 and includes all new residential structures.
In addition to mandates and policies, numerous green incentives and tax credits are available for consumers and homebuilders from the federal government and from several states. A recent U.S. federal stimulus package, for example, includes weatherization money and additional funding for existing green programs. At the local level, government
commitment to green policies, incentives, and credits varies greatly from area to area.
In an otherwise down economy, the green market is a great opportunity for the real estate community. According to McGraw-Hill Construction’s Green Outlook 2011: Green Trends Driving Growth report, the value of green building construction starts was up by 50% from 2008
“In a down economy, the green market is a great opportunity for the real estate community. ”
to 2010 - from $42 billion to $71 billion, and represents 25% of all new construction activity in 2010. Projections indicate the green building market size in the United States is expected to reach $135 billion by 2015.
Finding green properties in the United States Building Certifi cations: With the green movement on the rise, locating green properties in the United States is not as challenging as it has been in the past. Several international and national green home certifi cation programs are gaining momentum.
Greener industry | is slowly taking off in the US, as it has done across Europe
Perhaps the most widely known is the internationally recognized Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifi cation. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the LEED certifi cation provides third-party verifi cation that a building (commercial or residential) or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter
most, including energy savings, water effi ciency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. There are thousands of LEED-
certifi ed buildings in the United States alone, the list comprises of everything from hotels, schools, public libraries, condos – even Las Vegas hotels and casinos. Though it has gained worldwide recognition and is being used in 114 countries around the world in varying degrees, the rating system is not as prevalent in Europe because of more aggressive programmes such as Passive House. In fact, Europe’s fi rst LEED program was established in Italy in 2010. ENERGY STAR® is another set of guidelines for green homes. To earn the ENERGY STAR qualifi cation, a home must meet guidelines for energy effi ciency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. Last year, more than 1,000,000
homes qualifi ed in the programme. These homes are at least 15% more energy effi cient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20-30% more effi cient than standard homes. Energy Star will be releasing
their third version of the guidelines this summer, which will be much more comprehensive than previous versions. “As green building becomes more important to individuals and businesses, I anticipate that these certifications will continue to grow and raise the bar over time,” said Al Medina, Director of NAR’s Green Designation.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68