Build Green For the Future

On my recent Real Estate Insight Blog I wrote about having Chris West and David Kessler on the weekly radio show, where we talked about the LEED certification and a home we are listing for sale that is designed to meet the Platinum Certification.  They were just great guests and really are in tune to building green structures. One interesting point really surprised me. To build green, the government statistics show that up front costs may be more expensive by no more than 10%.  However, when you factor in the usage costs and, if retrofitting, the avoided maintenance costs, the overall cost factor for a green building is actually less.  All of these comparison calculations are based on the equivalent energy cost of $60/barrel oil.  Last time I looked, the cost of a barrel of oil was at $78 and rising again. Going forward, don't be surprised to see more of this type of construction becoming the norm, and if it isn't the norm from your builder, you may want to question whether he can build this way. If we all question the status quo and work towards more sustainable construction techniques, we can save ourselves from a lot of problems.