ABLE

Read This If You Think Trade Shows Don’t Work

candimb1 — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 19:21:55 +0000

If you are reading this article, chances are you actually don’t think trade shows don’t work. Why? Because, as two show producers recently told me, it’s exhibitors who most need trade show training that avoid it, while good exhibitors seek training to keep sharpening their skills.

To view this full article, click here.

Montgomery Advertiser Photo Gallery

candimb1 — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 18:20:02 +0000

The Montgomery Advertiser photographer Lloyd Gallman visited the Alabama’s Better Living Expo.

Click here to view the photo gallery!

Architects, builders drawn to Alabama Better Living Expo

candimb1 — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 18:11:03 +0000

More than 1,000 Alabama architects, engineers and others gathered Monday and Tuesday in downtown Montgomery to learn about trends and sustainability in the building industry.

It was only the second Alabama Better Living Expo, but one of the organizers said the event already has grown, both in size and importance.

While the three-day event is meant primarily to educate commercial and residential workers about green building and energy efficiency, it’s also spreading the word about the state’s new energy and residential codes, which went into effect in October.

“There are a lot of things that are mandatory that are brand new to people,” said Lisa Watkins of the Home Builders Association of Alabama. “It’s probably an eye-opening thing for a lot of people.

“Among the (HBAA), we’ve got a mix of members who are already doing a lot of the cutting-edge stuff, and we’ve got some that it’s brand new to them.We’re trying to provide something for everyone.”

The event continues through noon today.

Between sessions many attendees browsed the Convention Center’s exhibit hall, where vendors showed off products ranging from electric cars to high-tech outdoor grills.

As they left, a sign hanging over the exit invited them back to Montgomery for the event in 2014.

Watkins said the event could continue to grow during the next few years as consumer demand increases within the building industry.

Article posted on: http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013302260031&nclick_check=1

Alabama’s largest expo on sustainability, energy efficiency coming to Montgomery February 25-27

candimb1 — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 18:09:07 +0000

Montgomery will play host to the 2013 Alabama’s Better Living Expo (ABLE), the state’s premier expo on sustainability and energy efficiency. The expo will take place February 25-27, 2013 at the Montgomery Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center.

ABLE debuted last year in response to the growing need from consumers and business professionals seeking to incorporate more environmentally-friendly products and money-saving technologies into their homes and businesses. Open to all commercial and residential building industry professionals, ABLE features over 100 hours of continuing education and more than 60,000 square feet of exhibit space to expose attendees to the latest innovations in sustainability and energy efficiency.

ABLE is presented by a host of industry partners, including the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors, Alabama Associated General Contractors, Alabama Council of Engineering Companies, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors, Home Builders Association of Alabama, Alabama Association of Habitat for Humanity Affiliates, Alabama Council of the American Institute of Architects, Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board, Alabama Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, Alabama Electrical Contractors Board, Alabama Clean Water Partnership, Alabama Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, and PowerSouth.

Major sponsors for the 2013 ABLE include Alagasco, Alabama Power, and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. Verizon Wireless is the official Wireless Communications Sponsor.

For more information, visit www.ABLE-Expo-Alabama.com.

Article posted on: http://blog.al.com/press-releases/2013/02/alabamas_largest_expo_on_susta.html

Alabama Clean Water Partnership Becomes 2012 ABLE Partner

candimb1 — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:02:17 +0000

Alabama’s Better Living Expo (ABLE), Alabama’s premier sustainability/energy efficiency conference, is proud to announce that the Alabama Clean Water Partnership has joined as a partner in making this conference possible. The ABLE conference is scheduled for February 27-29, 2012 at the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center in Montgomery.

Sustainability is on the minds of everyone, from consumers to business professionals who are trying to determine how to incorporate more environmentally friendly products and money-saving technologies into their homes and businesses. ABLE will provide the industry with the tools to meet this growing demand. From continuing education to the largest industry-focused tradeshow in Alabama, ABLE attendees will be exposed to the latest innovations and some of the biggest names in sustainability and energy efficiency in the nation.

The ACWP joins a list of industry partners in making this conference a success. Other industry partners include the Alabama Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, Alabama Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, American Council of Engineering Companies of Alabama, Alabama Associated General Contractors, the Alabama Association of Habitat for Humanity Affiliates, and the Home Builders Association of Alabama. Regulatory partners include the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors, Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors, Alabama Electrical Contractors Board, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, and the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board.

For more information, visit www.ABLE-Expo-Alabama.com or contact the Home Builders Association of Alabama at 1-800-745-4222.

Green Your Home with a Certified Green Professional

candimb1 — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:45:02 +0000

More and more, home owners that are looking for ways to save energy and be kind to the environment when they build, remodel or renovate a home are seeking help from a Certified Green Professional (CGP).

Home builders, remodelers, designers, and contractors with the CGP educational designation understand green building. Today, there are more than 5,000 CGPs in the business of helping consumers build a new home or remodel their existing one.

These professionals know how to combine good, cost-effective building science with an ever-expanding selection of products and materials to build or remodel a home with sustainability in mind. They are trained to incorporate energy, water and resource efficiency, improved indoor environmental quality and sustainable and locally sourced products into their projects – and to teach you how to best take advantage of these features.

Trying to build or renovate a home to be green can be a complex, confusing process without some professional guidance. Terminology such as low-E windows, dual-flush toilets, tankless water heaters and ENERGY STAR ratings doesn’t make a lot of sense without some explanation, and with the ever-growing number of products on the market today promoted as “green,” it’s hard to know which ones will actually achieve your goals.

A CGP uses the National Green Building Standard, the nationally approved benchmark for the design, construction and operation of green homes, to help you understand all the factors that should be considered when building green and work with you to decide what is appropriate for your project. They will help you choose the right products and advise you on how to ensure everything works the way it is designed to and operates at maximum efficiency.

You can be certain a member of the building industry with a CGP designation is a trained professional. CGPs must complete three days of classroom instruction and have at least two years’ building industry experience before they earn the designation. They also are required to adhere to the CGP Code of Ethics and complete 12 hours of building industry and green-related continuing education every three years.

If you are building a new home, a CGP understands how to best take maximum advantage of the natural contours of the land and how to preserve water quality on site. For example, they will design a home’s window placements to either promote the sun’s heating effects in the home in colder climates, or offset it in warmer regions. They’ll recommend trim, cabinets and flooring that don’t use harmful solvents and sealers, and they’ll show you how you can save water inside and outside your home.

Many CGP remodelers and builders encourage home owners to have their new homes, additions, or renovations certified under the National Green Building Standard, which involves two independent, third-party inspections by trained verifiers to ensure compliance.

Some CGPs take their education further by seeking the Master Certified Professional designation, introduced just this year for builders and remodelers with longstanding green building education and experience. As green building practices expand over the next few years the number of Master CGPs is expected to grow as well.

To find a CGP in your area, contact your local Home Builders Association, or go to the National Association of Home Builders’ designation directory at www.nahb.org/designationsdirectory and type in “CGP.”

Source: National Association of Home Builders

New Homes of the Future: Smaller, Greener and More Casual

candimb1 — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:42:26 +0000

The economic downturn has changed the way Americans look at a lot of things, including what they are looking for in their next home. A study by the National Association of Home Builders suggests that the recession has caused prospective home buyers to shift their perspective on the housing they want and need, and that the new home of the future will focus more on efficiency than indulgence.
The survey asked builders, designers, architects, manufacturers, and marketing specialists about what they thought the likely characteristics of the average, new single-family detached home would be in 2015.

First, the typical size of new homes will continue to shrink, with respondents saying they expect homes to average 2,152 square feet. That is 10 percent smaller than the average size of single-family homes started in 2010. Census Bureau data shows that the average size peaked in 2007, at 2,521 square feet.

This decrease is likely influenced by economic hardship, with consumers focusing on lowering the cost of heating and cooling their homes as well as no longer having a lot of equity in their current homes to finance purchasing a much larger one. An aging population — 29 percent of the U.S. population will be 55 and older in the year 2020 — will also increase demand for smaller homes as empty-nesters downsize into easier-to-manage properties.

A smaller home means the space must be better suited to modern lifestyles. Fifty-two percent of builders expect the living room to be merged with other spaces in the home by 2015 and 30 percent said it will vanish entirely. Respondents also expect the entry foyer and dining rooms to become smaller, or merge with other spaces. A great room comprised of the kitchen, foyer and living room is the most likely room to be included in the average new home. Some of the rooms least likely to be present include two master bedroom suites, a sunroom, a hobbies room, and a media room.

Kitchens are also expected to become more functional. Double sinks, recessed lighting, table space for eating, a breakfast bar and pull-out drawers are the features most likely to be in the new home kitchen in 2015.
In addition to floor plan changes, it is expected that new homes in 2015 will include more green features and technology, including low-E windows; engineered wood beams, joists or tresses; water-efficient features such as dual-flush toilets or low-flow faucets; and an ENERGY STAR rating for the whole house.

Surprisingly, some new home features that have been popular in recent years are expected to lose favor with home buyers in the future. Less than a third of survey respondents said they thought more technology features, more universal features and more outdoor living features would be the first or second most probable trend.

Source: National Association of Home Builders

10 Strategies to Increase the Energy Efficiency of Your Homes

candimb1 — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:16:26 +0000

Discover tactics that are guaranteed to work and won’t break the bank.

Let’s forget the green movement for a moment. The topic has exploded in the mainstream, but that growth has resulted in false claims and an unbelievable amount of greenwashing. The definition of what makes something green is subjective, making the issue as thorny as it is puzzling to consumers and builders alike.

So let’s talk in real terms. According to the EPA, the average household spends about $2,200 on energy bills every year. People in drafty old houses with single-pane windows, under-insulated walls, and prehistoric appliances are likely paying more. Simply put, saving energy will save people money.

Unlike green, energy efficiency is something that home buyers can understand, process, and wrap their heads around. As evidence of this, window replacement contractors say they have seen a marked increase in business since President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which included provisions for homeowners to receive a tax credit of up to $1,500 for energy efficiency improvements. The popularity of the Cash for Clunkers CARS program also highlights this trend.

For this reason, builders should think of energy efficiency as a prime construction strategy.

Where do you begin? Right here. In this story, you will find 10 cost-effective strategies that will help you build a better home–and one with features that your sales staff can quantify to potential buyers. There are other, more sophisticated strategies, of course, but these tried and true practices will give you best bang for your buck.

1. Orient the house for energy efficiency.Before you even think about Energy Star appliances, recycled-content products, or whiz-bang technologies, the first thing anyone building a house needs to do is position the structure for maximum benefit. It is, perhaps, the most important decision you’ll make. This is general knowledge but still so few builders actually do it—or are unable because of how subdivisions are typically planned.

Why: The right site orientation is where energy savings begin. In addition to beneficial daylight, a properly sited house will avoid solar heat gain and require less mechanical cooling in the summer. It may also take advantage of the prevailing breezes for free cooling. “East west [orientation] is best,” says architect Ed Binkley, of Ed Binkley Design in Oviedo, Fla. The north side provides the best light, southern exposure is easy to control with shading, and the east and west should have less glass.

Cost: Free.

Credit: Courtesy: MINARC

2. Place windows appropriately. Once the house is properly sited on the lot, the last thing you want to do is negate it with large windows in the wrong places. Let your geographical region and climate determine placement. ”If you want morning sunlight to spray across your breakfast table, your breakfast room window should face east,” Don Vandervort writes on his Website www.hometips.com. “Light from the south is bright and direct; solar houses are oriented to the south for maximum heat gain. South-facing windows are often located beneath eaves or roof overhangs to block the high, intense summer sun, but allow in the warmth of the lower winter sun.”

Why: The right window placement will mean the difference between unwanted heat gain and lack of cool, flattering daylight. Proper window placement will facilitate cross breezes and ventilation—provided the house was oriented correctly in the first place. Moreover, architect Erla Dögg Ingjaldsdóttir of Santa Monica, Calif.-based MINARC, says low window openings on a house let in cool air and high window placement allows hot air to escape.

Cost: Free.

Credit: Courtesy: LP

3. Install a radiant barrier.Your house is sited properly and windows are in the right places, but now it’s time to keep out the sun’s heat. A radiant barrier installed on the roof deck or (in some cases, the attic floor) will help. A structural panel with a thin sheet of reflective material—usually aluminum—on one side, a radiant barrier is used as regular sheathing (with the reflective side down).

Why: In warm climates or hot climates, a radiant barrier helps reduce summer heat gain, allowing air conditioners to work less, thereby saving money. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy says a radiant barrier also can “reduce indoor heat losses through the ceiling in the winter.” Some manufacturers claim the products prevent up to 97% of the radiant heat in the panel from entering the attic.

Cost: $500 for a 2,000 square foot home.

Credit: Quickflash Weatherproofing Products

4. Properly air-seal the structure.One of the most important factors in a house is preventing unwanted air infiltration. Builders can do this with an aggressive campaign to caulk all cracks and seal all pipes penetrating the building envelope, with diligent housewrap application, or with spray foam insulation or blow-in cellulose. “Number one with a bullet for us is rigorous air sealing,” says Jesse Thompson, with Kaplan Thompson Architects in Portland, Maine.

Why: According to DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, preventing random air movement through building cavities helps prevent air leakage, which can account for 30% or more of a home’s heating and cooling costs. Architect C. Joseph Vigil, president of VaST Architecture in Boulder, Colo., recommends “having a blower door test done and then based on the results insulating and caulking all gaps and cracks to minimize the amount of natural air changes per hour that occur.” Moreover, Thompson says his firm is “getting builders to commit to blower-door testing during construction, especially pre-insulation, when the walls are open and problems can be caught easily.” Air sealing also will increase the effectiveness of the insulation.

Cost: $200 to $600.

5. Insulate. Insulate. Insulate. Siding and roofing will protect the house from bulk rain, and sealing stops the air flow, but a properly insulated house will keep its inhabitants comfortable. “A good, tight, well-insulated shell is about 70% of the solution,” Binkley says.

Why: “To maintain comfort, the heat lost in the winter must be replaced by your heating system and the heat gained in the summer must be removed by your cooling system,” the DOE says. “Properly insulating your home will decrease this heat flow by providing an effective resistance to the flow of heat.” Still, the amount of insulation or R-value you’ll need depends on your climate, type of heating and cooling system, and the section of the house you plan to insulate, according to the DOE. The type of insulation is a matter of preference. Some architects use foam because it (the closed-cell version) acts as a moisture barrier and air barrier and because it fills all nooks and crannies. Other pros use blow-in cellulose, while most builders stick with fiberglass batts. Either way, the concept is the same: the insulation must be installed properly to touch all six sides of the wall cavity. “Some types of insulation—such as foam board and dense-packed cellulose insulation—can be effective at reducing air flow as well as heat flow,”according to the government’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “However, the most common type of insulation—fiberglass—does not stop air leakage. In older homes, dirty fiberglass insulation is a telltale sign of air movement (it collects dirt like a filter).”

Cost: Between 25 cents to 90 cents per square foot (fiberglass). Foam costs about three to four times more.

Credit: Courtesy:BioBased Insulation

6. Remember the attic. It’s tempting to overlook this part of the house, but the attic is also an important part of an energy efficiency strategy. Simply put, “Properly insulating and air sealing your attic will help reduce your energy bills,” reminds the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Why: “The attic is critical,” says Robert Jordan, president of the insulation company Dr. Warm in Upton, Mass. “Hot air rises and wants to go higher and escape from the house. Doing the attic is most important.” If the attic is vented, make sure to seal all attic-to-home air leaks because most insulation does not stop airflow, DOE says. This may not be necessary if you’re using spray foam in an un-vented attic.

Cost: About $3.50 per square foot for 9 inches of open-cell foam. Cheaper options are available.

Credit: Courtesy: Carrier Corp.

7. Install a properly sized efficient furnace or boiler.The last thing you want to do after being diligent about the other energy efficiency strategies is blow it by installing an inefficient HVAC system. In 2006, DOE mandated that manufacturers cannot import or produce air conditioners with anything less than a 13 SEER. Shoot for ratings above that. Vigil adds that builders should avoid any mechanical system that is less than 90% efficient.

Why: Installing the most efficient system will result in direct saving because heating and cooling a house represents the costlier part of maintaining it.

Cost: $1,000 to $5,000. Plus, if the house is sealed properly and insulated well, the physical size of the system can be reduced.

Credit: Courtesy: Harpiris Energy

8. Choose an efficient hot water system.In most houses, the refrigerator and the hot water tank are the two major appliances that are always on—always! In fact, water heating is the third-largest expense in the home after air conditioning and major appliances and accounts for 14% to 25% of a home’s operating costs.

Why: As of this year, EPA and DOE, issued criteria that water heaters must meet to obtain the Energy Star label. The agency says the standards are expected to save American consumers about $780 million in utility costs by the fifth year of the standard’s use. Though Energy Star covers a variety of tank types, different architects have their preference. Vigil prefers tankless systems that heat only when they’re needed, while Binkley prefers a solar system. Traditional storage tanks can also be efficient.

Cost: $300 and up for traditional storage units (uninstalled); from $800 for tankless (uninstalled); and $2,500 to $3,500 for solar (installed).

Credit: Courtesy: Sea Gull Lighting

9. Choose fluorescent-friendly fixtures.The Energy Star program says lighting in the average U.S. home accounts for about 20% of its electric bill. Switching out an incandescent lamp for a medium-based compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) will help will save about $30 over its lifetime and pay for itself in about six months. But there is a better way: Use fixtures designed for pin-based fluorescent bulbs instead.

Why: Though medium-based CFLs use 75% less energy and lasts about 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, there is a problem. “If they are put into incandescent fixtures they need to be left on for longer periods,” says Binkley. “Fluorescent are not made to be switched off and on for short periods, they will burn out fast.” Sea Gull Lighting says an Energy Star fixture that is designed for a pin-based fluorescent bulb not only looks better, but the quality of light and energy performance is better as well.

Cost: Starts at $40 for a ceiling fixture.

Credit: Courtesy: Whirlpool Corp.

10. Install Energy Star appliances.No builder interested in efficiency should be installing anything less than Energy Star rated appliances. Period.Why: Energy Star models exceed federal standards for energy and water use and are more efficient than older ones, thereby helping homeowners save money on their utility bills. Forget baseline models that meet the minimum standards and consult with www.energystar.gov for models that go beyond. For example, some dishwashers exceed government standards by 50%, while others beat them by 147%.

Cost: Varies.

By:Nigel F. Maynard
http://www.ecohomemagazine.com/

INDUSTRY GROUPS PARTNER TOGETHER TO PRESENT 2012 ALABAMA’S BETTER LIVING EXPO

candimb1 — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 19:45:10 +0000

Industry groups from around the state are joining forces to present Alabama’s Better Living Expo (ABLE), Alabama’s premier sustainability/energy efficiency conference. The ABLE conference will make its debut February 27-29, 2012 at the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center in Montgomery.

Industry partners include the Alabama Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, Alabama Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, Alabama Associated General Contractors, American Council of Engineering Companies of Alabama, the Alabama Association of Habitat for Humanity Affiliates, and the Home Builders Association of Alabama. Regulatory partners include the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors, Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors, Alabama Electrical Contractors Board, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, and the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board.

Green Homes Sell for More, Studies Show

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 22:35:01 +0000

As green building pros know all too well, today’s recession-weary home buyers are often more concerned with price than with a home’s energy rating, durability, or indoor air quality. New research, however, reflects a steady increase in the public’s understanding of the value of green building features.

In fact, one analysis in the Portland, Ore., metropolitan area found that green-certified dwellings sold for up to 30% more on average. The study from Portland-based nonprofit Earth Advantage Institute, which analyzed sales data for May 2010 through April 2011 from the Portland Regional MLS, found that green-certified new homes, on average, sold for 8% more than non-certified ones. In one of the six counties reporting figures, the premium was more than 23%. Certifications came from Energy Star, LEED for Homes, Earth Advantage, or an Earth Advantage/Energy Star combination.

The difference in sales price was even higher for existing homes: an average of 30%, with one county reporting a premium of more than 61%. This is the fourth year in a row that the institute has done the analysis and found certified homes selling for more than conventional ones.

The information was supplied by real estate agents and is based on averages—not comparables—but even so, the study’s authors noticed a consistent trend, even while home sales in general were down: Third-party certification results in a higher sales price, says Dakota Gale, sustainable finance program manager at the Earth Advantage Institute.

PRICE PREMIUM
“There’s certainly a premium there to be had,” says green builder Josh Wynne of his Sarasota, Fla., market. He compares homes to cars, saying that people willingly pay more for a Bentley than a Kia, but also warns against turning green certification into a commodity or using it specifically to drive up profitability.

“Clients are naturally skeptical of green building,” he says. “If you’re disingenuous or sell green as an upgrade like a granite counter,” it won’t work.

Other green pros are seeing similar trends in their markets. For example, Salt Lake City-based Garbett Homes has earned a price advantage over competing builders in its market by offering energy-efficient solar- and geothermal-powered homes at prices attainable for first-time buyers.

The company, which builds in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Missouri, sells its Energy Star-certified single-family homes and townhomes for roughly $14,000 more than those of competing builders, according to marketing director Rene Oehlerking. Garbett Homes calculated its price point to be a little higher than a traditionally built home, aiming for buyers willing to pay more–but not too much more. “Everybody wants to go green,” Oehlerking says, “but nobody wants to pay for it.”

The hook, he says, is energy savings. All of the builder’s homes earn a HERS rating of less than 40, which, as the sales team points out to potential buyers, means a savings of between 60% and 80% on energy bills, Oehlerking says. The company’s homes have electric bills of about $5 a month and natural gas bills of about $7 a month.

New research from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory of California shows that Garbett Homes’ green price premiums for solar-powered homes are not unique. In evaluating the price impact of photovoltaic energy systems, the Berkeley Lab analyzed some 72,000 homes sold in California between 2000 and 2009, of which about 2,000 included the systems. Compared with conventionally built homes, new homes sold for a premium of $2.30 to $2.60 per watt generated by the photovoltaic system, the laboratory found, while existing homes sold for a premium of $6 per watt. The study controlled for factors such as housing market fluctuations, neighborhood effects, and the age and size of the home.

WHAT’S IT WORTH?
Another study of green-certified home sales prices, in Atlanta, found more mixed results. Although certified homes sold for lower prices, on average, they did sell faster and closer to asking price, according to the Atlanta Green Home Sales Report from local Realtor Carson Matthews. In 2010, certified homes spent an average of 97 days on the market, compared with 123 for traditionally built homes. The homes were certified by EarthCraft House, LEED for Homes, and Energy Star.

One obstacle for green builders seeking higher prices is that appraisers rarely value green features enough, especially since the recession, says David Johnston, president of What’s Working, a green and low-energy consulting firm. “What advantages we used to have, at least according to appraisers, are gone,” Johnston says. “With house prices tumbling nationally, it doesn’t matter what color the house is.” Buyers are simply looking to get as many square feet per dollar as they can, he says.

A bit of extra effort on the seller’s part can help appraisers—and, hopefully, buyers—see the light. Phoenix-based GreenStreet Development has created a package to provide appraisers with information that helps distinguish between homes with green features and traditionally built homes, says Philip Beere, founder and president.

For example, a GreenStreet remodel listed in Tempe, Ariz., for $185,000 was first appraised at $140,000. The lender found another appraiser who was more familiar with green construction and Beere’s company, and the second appraisal came in at $200,000. Similarly, in Denver, a green-renovated home was appraised at 15% more than otherwise comparable homes on the same street.

“You have to establish that the property is special,” Beere says.

Green Homes Sell for More, Studies Show originally posted by the EcoHome Magazine.