‘G 101 Green 10
reen’ branding your company or services may be both intimidating and exciting, but either way it is simply becoming absolutely essential in order to compete in today’s markets. As the market focus shifts, builders, remodelers, developers and
construction associates are realizing a new and growing demand. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) recently released a study reiterating this sentiment with some noteworthy findings of ‘greener’ demands that are changing the way we do business.
A whopping 68 percent of builders surveyed say that homes in 2015 will include more green features and technology. Another finding revealed builders surveyed expect homes to average 2,152 square feet in 2015, 10 percent smaller than the average size of single- family homes started in the first three quarters of 2010.
While these figures may not be presently applicable to you or your business, it’s increasingly necessary to familiarize yourself with these substantial culture shifts in our industry. If you are asking, how do I become green? What is green and do I qualify? The GHBA is your one place to get started in green marketing.
As your local builders association, members of the GHBA have been dedicated to the green issue for well over the last decade. The GHBA Green Building Committee has supported development of a program that is both affordable and easily achievable within our building community.
Last June, the GHBA launched the much-anticipated optional Green Built Gulf Coast (GBGC) program. The program is an adopting entity of the National Green Building StandardTM
ICC 700-2008. The program scores
the level of the project (Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Emerald) on the six core performance factors: Lot Design, Preparation and Development; Resource Efficiency; Energy Efficiency; Water Efficiency; Indoor Environmental Quality and Operation; Maintenance, and Building Owner Education.
Green Built Gulf Coast is an acclaimed program that not only allows for regionally appropriate green building practices, but is also the first American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-approved residential green building program in the nation. The StandardTM requires third party verification procedures compliance, which sets the precedent for excellence within the green building industry.
Green Built Gulf Coast only uses the expertise of trained GBGC accredited verifiers and raters who are able to ensure these green features are accounted for and executed, ensuring the quality of green. Only new starts or projects are eligible for the program, because the scoring tool assesses all aspects from the ground up.
Many of our local builders that are the purveyors of registering homes to the program include Lennar Homes, Village Homes, Highland Homes, Frankel Building Group, Horizon Group Intl., Keechi Creek Builders, and many more progressive home builders.
There is a list of registered homes and other resources at
www.greenbuiltgulfcoast.org. Entering unknown territory is tough, and adds an additional market to juggle on top. GBGC offers not only an accredited program, but also a community of green experts who can offer their support and guidance to help you make the transition to green marketing.
For more information about Green Built Gulf Coast’s green residential building program, please email or call Donna Buenik, Government Affairs Coordinator, at
dbuenik@ghba.org or 281.970.8970 ext.141. Be sure and visit the Green Built Gulf Coast booth at the 2011 New Home and Remodeling Show on June 11 and 12, showcasing a green home replica integrating Green Built Gulf Coast products and services.
JUNE 2011 | HOUSTON BUILDER | GREATER HOUSTON BUILDERS ASSOCIATION – BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE
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