globalbriefs


Stirring Giants Green Homebuilding Progress Report


America’s 10 largest


publicly traded homebuilders have started to im- prove their environ- mental policies and practices, but much progress remains to be achieved, accord- ing to the latest Survey of Sustainable Practices by the Homebuilding Industry, by Calvert As- set Management Co. KB Home, based in Los Angeles, and Pulte Homes, of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, were ranked as the top industry firms. Calvert reports that out of 42 pos- sible green data points, the average total score was just over six points, or 15 per- cent. Without the top two companies in the mix, the average overall score would have been less than 6 percent. Green building represents a major industry opportunity. “Whereas two years ago, the industry had not yet begun to embrace sustainability as a core part of building design and con- struction, companies today have taken many meaningful steps toward devel- oping greener and cleaner homes,” says Rebecca Henson, a sustainability analyst at Calvert and co-author of the report. “However, given the environ- mental impact that homebuilding has, the industry has significantly more progress to make.”


Companies are most active in energy efficiency and conservation, paying more attention to sustainability issues that can offer short-term finan- cial benefits to operating costs and customers, such as building material recycling and energy and water effi- ciency measures. Issues with long-term benefits, such as climate change, are not well addressed.


For more information, search Green Homebuilder at Calvert.com. To assess a home’s energy efficiency score, take the quiz at EnergySavvy.com.


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