What is a Green Home and Should I Buy One?

“Building Green”…you see it and hear about it practically everywhere you go these days. But what exactly is “green building” anyway? Within the home building industry the basic concept is that the house has been designed and constructed in such a manner as to minimize its impact on the environment, protect the health of its occupants and utilize resources efficiently.

AZ Green Builder (AZGB) is a voluntary program developed by the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona to encourage the construction of production home subdivisions that exceed building code requirements for energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality and the efficient use of resources. In creating the AZ Green Builder program, the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona’s goal was to provide a locally administered, easy to implement green building program with meaningful and measurable benefits. With many of the local jurisdictions looking to demonstrate their commitment to the environment, the potential exists for a different residential green building requirement in every city creating increased costs and home buyer confusion. Having a single, voluntary, recognizable program simplifies the process.

Home buyers seeking homes built to a “green” standard will appreciate that AZGB provides a consistent set of minimum requirements that are incorporated into the construction drawings and verified by field inspection during construction of the home. Upon approval by the field inspector an Arizona Green Builder certificate is awarded to the completed home.

There are five major components of the AZGB Program: energy efficiency, water conservation, resource efficiency, improved indoor air quality and home owner education. The requirements for each of the program components and the benefits of buying a green home can be found by visiting the AZ Green Builder website, www.azgreenbuilder.org.