Builder- March 2009 - (Page 40) GREEN HOUSE ISO Insert T he new ISO 15392:2008 standard establishes internationally recognized principles for sustainability in building construction, providing yet another protocol for builders and other housing industry stakeholders. The standard off ers a suite of “cradle to the grave” standards that address specific issues and aspects of sustainability, including building materials, products, services, and processes, and off ers insight into balancing the economic, environmental, and social aspects of those choices with requirements for technical and functional performance. The standard is available at www. iso.org. Toms selected an existing 2,600-square-foot plan within the company’s Hempfield Crossing community to serve as a guinea pig. His intention was to build the two-story house as a model home certified to a gold rating under the NAHB program, which would enable him to determine the right mix of specifications against both a budget and buyer demand, gauge potential utility savings and payback for those efforts, learn the ropes of GREEN periodic independent inspections to verify his work, and see if prospects would bite. Finished in August of last year, the model home is generating interest and traffic, if not sales. To spur some conversions and also test whether green would sell in a buyer’s market, Toms offered a choice: 10 percent off the price of any home or a 5 percent discount plus a free upgrade to the gold rating, alone a $12,000 benefit with potential energy (see page 42) TRENDS Infill Invasion A recent AIA trends survey indicates a growing demand for infill housing projects. I Green 2013 M cGraw-Hill Construction’s “Green Outlook 2009” estimates that the value of green building construction in the U.S. could reach $140 billion by 2013, based on continually dramatic growth, social and economic benefits, and increases in LEED certification and government regulation. The report estimates that green building also might help tackle unemployment through green jobs and can address other societal issues, such as healthier home and work environments. Green building also appears to be the bright spot in an otherwise tough economy by offering economic benefits including ▶ n December, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) released results of its quarterly trends survey that confi rmed the growing demand for compact, infi ll development over suburban sprawl. Previously driven by demographics (young singles/ couples and active boomers), and higher development fees and longer approvals processes for new outlying subdivisions, the urban movement now has more economic inspirations: the slumping economy (and housing prices), the fear of high gas prices, and childhood obesity. “Due to the prolonged decline in housing construction and increasing commuting costs, consumer preferences for community design [are] shifting away from areas removed from metropolitan hubs and toward infill sites that have greater access to public transportation options,” says the report. The report points out the benefits of building in town, including neighborhood vitality and sustainability. It also references a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine that shows green or compact neighborhood design can help mitigate growing rates of childhood obesity, diabetes, asthma, and hypertension. With weak house prices in most markets, the AIA survey reports that home buyers are looking for locations where houses will retain value. Infi ll locations offer more convenient access to employment centers, commercial opportunities, and other daily household activities, bolstering their long-term value. The “AIA Home Design Trend Survey” is conducted quarterly with a panel of 500 architecture fi rms that concentrate their practice in the residential sector. For more information, go to www.aia .org.—R.B. INTEREST IN INFILL: Projects such as Stapleton in Denver by Forest City Properties, which redeveloped the city’s old airport property, offer buyers a variety of attractive incentives to move in-town. 40 ■ B U I LD E R m a rc h 2 0 0 9 W W W.BUILDERONLINE.COM http://www.aia.org http://www.aia.org http://www.iso.org http://www.iso.org http://WWW.BUILDERONLINE.COM
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