According to Rex Nutting, chief of MarketWatch’s Washington bureau, inventory of existing homes for sale in May 2007 rose to the highest level relative to sales in 15 years, putting even more homes on an already saturated market. .

With existing home sales falling 0.3% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.99 million below an upwardly revised 6.01 million in April, according to the National Association of Realtors, and sales they were down 10.3% from just a year ago and about 17%. After the peak, what can homebuilders and homeowners do to differentiate themselves from the 4.43 million homes currently for sale on the market?

Building or remodeling with green products is the perfect way to do it.

According to a survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders and McGraw-Hill Construction, 85% of homeowners said they were more satisfied with their new green homes than their old traditional homes. The survey allowed respondents to indicate more than one reason for buying a green home; showing that almost 50% of respondents said concern for the environment was a reason to buy a green home, and the same percentage said their family’s health was a reason. 63% affirmed that the lower costs of operation and maintenance motivated their purchases.

Also, homebuyers were willing to pay a higher price up front to get those benefits. “We found that people buying green homes were willing to pay an $18,500 premium to get a green home,” said Harvey Bernstein, vice president of industry analysis, strategic initiatives and alliances at McGraw-Hill Construction.

To be classified as “Truly Green,” homes must include three or more products or features that address the following:

1. Energy Efficiency

2. Indoor air quality

3. Management of Resources and/or Use of Recycled Materials

4. Direction of Work/Location of the House and its Surroundings

5. Water efficiency

Who is the competition?

Their research showed that only 0.3% of existing homes qualified as “Truly Green,” while 2% of homes incorporated a green product, such as energy-efficient doors and windows, appliances, or heating.

In Jack Trout’s “Differentiate or Die: Survival in Our Era of Killer Competition,” he warns, “Those who fail to differentiate their product or service, in the mind of the consumer, don’t stand a chance.” This is your opportunity to differentiate yourself as a renovator, builder, homeowner, real estate agent or other professional looking to change your business and the world.

Who is buying green houses?

The report found that those who are eligible to invest in a green home are women, married, wealthy, well-educated, and likely in their 40s and from southern or western states. The popularity of green features is not limited to new construction.

The research estimated that about half of US homeowners recently renovated their homes, and about 40% of them used green products. Energy-efficient windows and doors, as well as energy-efficient heating and air-conditioning systems are some of the most popular green upgrades, Bernstein said.

Examples of energy saving features to incorporate into your building

o Hardi perforated soffit and ridge vents for maximum airflow

o House fully wrapped with 7/16-inch OSB

o R-38 insulation on the roof

o R-22 insulation on sloped roofs

o R-13 insulation on exterior walls

o Tech Shield Radiant Barrier Coating for Roof Decks

o Tyvek HomeWrap for a more energy efficient home

o Polyseal exterior openings to prevent air ingress

o Dual-pane insulated Low-E windows with choice of three colors

o Energy efficient appliances

o Energy efficient windows

o Energy efficient heating (electric underfloor heating, zone heating, solar heating)

Green Building Products Recognized Efficient Showerhead with Delta H2Okinetic Technology

Delta Faucet Company’s shower head uses only 1.6 gallons of water per minute. Delta worked with Bowles Fluidics Corporation to develop its H2Okinetic Technology(TM), which produces large droplets, resulting in good heat retention and body moisturization.

What makes this product green?

o Facilities and equipment that conserve water

o Equipment that saves energy

Underwater standing timber recovery by Triton Logging

Triton Logging, Inc. harvests standing trees underwater from forests that were submerged decades ago by reservoirs created by hydroelectric dams. The trees are cut down, ensuring that the reservoir floor and sediments are not disturbed in the process. Douglas fir, western white pine, lodgepole pine, hemlock, and other species recover year-round. All lumber is certified SmartWood Rediscovered by the Rainforest Alliance. The company produces a range of wood products and is launching a line of glulam beams made from underwater reclaimed wood.

What makes this product green?

o Recovered products

SageGlass tintable glazing by Sage Electrochromics

SageGlass® is an electronically tintable exterior glazing that provides glare control on demand while preserving views. The product is available through partners such as Velux®, Architectural Wall Systems, Inc., Harmon, Inc., Vistawall Group, Wausau Window and Wall Systems, and YKK AP America, Inc. While SageGlass is currently very expensive (increasing the cost of insulated glass six to seven times), Sage Electrochromics expects that cost will eventually become competitive with standard high-performance glazing combined with interior machined louvers.

What makes this product green?

o Building components that reduce heating and cooling loads

o Improves the quality of light

WeatherTRAK Intelligent Irrigation Controls from HydroPoint Data Systems, Inc.

The best choice for outdoor landscaping is often native, climate-appropriate plantings that do not require irrigation, but where irrigation is required, efficiency is essential. HydroPoint® Data Systems, Inc. has revolutionized irrigation management in North America through its WeatherTRAK® irrigation control systems that create irrigation schedules based on physical characteristics of the landscape (soil type, slope, and plantings). , as well as weather data that is transmitted wirelessly to the controllers each day. Residential and commercial WeatherTRAK systems are fully compatible with most irrigation systems and offer an Internet control unit. The company has partnerships with irrigation equipment suppliers The Toro® Company and Irritrol® Systems.

What makes this product green?

o Facilities and equipment that conserve water

o Reduces stormwater pollution

Coolerado Cooler Advanced, Indirect Evaporative Air Conditioner from Coolerado, LLC The Coolerado Cooler is a revolutionary air conditioning system that relies on the evaporation of water (latent heat of vaporization) to cool a space, but its similarity to standard evaporative coolers, or swamp coolers, is so remote that the company doesn’t even even uses the term “evaporative” to describe its product. Water consumption can be significant; This is comparable to or slightly lower than direct evaporative coolers – up to 12 gallons per hour at maximum load, but typically averages around 4 gallons per hour during the cooling season.

What makes this product green?

or energy saving

o Improves indoor air quality

Product Information:

Delta Faucet Company

55 East 111th Street

PO Box 40980

Indianapolis, IN 46280

deltafaucet.com

Triton Logging, Inc.

6675 Mirah Road

Saanichton, British Columbia V8M1Z4

tritonlogging.com

Sage Electrochromics, Inc.

a wise way

Faribault, MN 55021

wise-ec.com

HydroPoint Data Systems, Inc.

1726 Corporate Circle

Petaluma, CA 94954

weathertrak.com

Coolerado, LLC

4700 West 60th Ave., Unit 3

Arvada, CO 80003

http://www.coolerado.com

Note: This article in no way implies an active business relationship between Speedheat and any of the companies or products listed. These are simply products recognized as environmental products by industry professionals and certification services.