Builder - February 2009 - (Page 42) GREEN HOUSE books as well as a forum for discussion and commentary about sustainability. A panel of leading green building experts select featured titles each month within its library. Books can be purchased through Island Press (www .islandpress.org/usgbc). USGBC members receive discounts including bulkpurchase rates. Visitors can also suggest potential titles, authors, and topics for future monthly selections. Going with the NAHB certification program, among more specific standards from the DOE, Energy Star, and a utility provider, not only helped the company deliver high-performance homes but also kept administration costs in check while Akamai spent a slight premium to build them. “To get to this level, you have to invest a little extra,” says Shepherd, though he and Choate also saved some by acting as their own builder. That being said, the company was careful not to spend its way out of the market. “Our strategy was not to get more than $10 a square foot more than the competition,” says Shepherd, noting that homes at Creekstone—which opened for sales in mid-October 2008—are base-priced from $259,000 to $665,000 across all types. To achieve its high standard of building performance, Akamai invested in advanced 2x6 framing methods, insulated corners and headers, sealed crawl spaces, and a reflective housewrap that also protects against moisture and air infi ltration, among a menu of energy- and resource-efficient features per the program checklist. To sell that package, which can only be upgraded with optional eco-features including solar panels, geothermal heat pump systems, and (see page 44) GREEN DEFINING Green Cover A n unfortunate but predictable byproduct of the housing industry’s drive to go green is the potential liability of making performance claims. “Before You Build Green: A Primer on Avoiding Liability Pitfalls” from the NAHB Building Products Issues Committee provides legal advice for home builders and remodelers about marketing, contracts, warranties, training, and compliance issues to help limit their exposure to liability while still building sustainably. Tips include making sure green components and technology comply with local building codes and avoiding language that promises the home will achieve a certain level of energy effi ciency or cost savings. The brochure is available as a free download for NAHB members at www.nahb.org or by calling 800-368-5242, ▶ ext. 8291. their energy-saving values. Several recent consumer studies have shown, however, A leading green housing advocate creates a that home buyers desire green homes but lack understanding nutrition label for homes. about what qualifies as green rchitect Michelle to be empowered with the same or how one builder’s sustainKaufmann has carved a sort of information when it ability claims match up to anneat little niche for herself comes to making a decision other’s. Kaufmann’s labeling in the green housing game about what house to live in.” suggestion, she writes in the by designing, building, and proUnder her plan, all homes— paper, would improve and inmoting prefabricated modular green or not—would have the crease consumer knowledge homes that offer a higher level of Sustainability Facts label, fur- and result in an even greater performance, resource efficien- ther enabling buyers to evaluate boost in high-performance cy, and sustainability. differences in homes’ carbon housing production. Now, a recent white paper by footprints, energy consumption, The labeling system, she says, Kaufmann calls for a universal and other factors. would also take the mystery out sustainability labeling standard Already, products that quali- of the fragmented green certifimodeled after the Food & Drug fy under the federal Energy Star cation programs initiated at the Administration’s Nutrition Facts standards for energy efficiency, local, regional, and national levlabel that’s on every package of and windows and doors evaluat- els. “Some are designed to evalufood sold in the U.S. ed by the National Fenestration ate the sustainability of an entire In the paper, Kaufmann Rating Council are plastered home while others evaluate just asserts that a universal labeling with labels that, in part, list specific elements such as its system would help energy efficiency,” she grow the green buildwrites. “The vast array ing industry by making of choices confronting it easier for home buygreen home buyers is ers to understand the confusing at best, frusenvironmental, health, trating and discouragand fi nancial benefits ing at worst.” of living in a green Kaufmann proposes home. “Nutrition laimplementing the probeling allows consumgram as a pilot project ers to purchase food to eventually be rolled according to the qualiout nationally, vowing ty of its nutritional to be the first developer content,” says Kauf- CARBONC ONTENT: Architect Michelle Kaufto apply the label to mann, founder and mann’s sustainability label for green homes is the new homes. To obtain chairwoman of Mi- latest step to help home buyers discern the differa free version of the chelle Kaufmann Cos. ences between an increasing stock of energy- and white paper, go to www “We want home buyers resource-efficient housing options. .mkd-arc.com.—R.B. Look for the Label A Courtesy Michelle Kaufmann 42 ■ B U I LD E R f ebrua ry 2 0 0 9 W W W.BUILDERONLINE.COM http://www.islandpress.org/usgbc http://www.islandpress.org/usgbc http://www.nahb.org http://www.mkd-arc.com http://www.mkd-arc.com http://WWW.BUILDERONLINE.COM
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