| Green Remodeling |
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Excerpt: Homeowners Want Energy-Efficient, Eco-Friendly Home Improvement Products According to the latest NAHB Remodeling Market Index (RMI), homeowners want energy-efficient upgrades. Thirty-three percent of remodelers polled said that their customers are leaning toward energy-saving improvements, such as low-E windows, spray-foam or fiberglass insulation, and high-efficiency HVAC system in their homes. The RMI is a quarterly gauge of remodeler perception of the current and future residential remodeling market; and it also includes questions that pinpoint market trends. Seventy-three percent of remodelers surveyed by the NAHB say they installed energy-efficient windows in the past few months. Insulation replacement upgrades (in enclosed walls and roofs) were made by 65% polled while 27% said they insulated foundations and 52% installed insulated exterior doors. Fifty-six percent of those polled said high-efficiency HVAC systems were in demand. Energy-saving kitchen appliances were installed by 47% of those polled and 46% said water-saving faucets and fixtures were put in. The NAHB RMI results are similar to those from a poll sponsored by fiberglass door manufacturer Plastpro, which revealed that 73% of 700 homeowners surveyed said they are willing to pay more for eco-friendly and energy-efficient home improvement products. The Plastpro survey, which was administered by the Opinion Research Corp., also revealed that 89% of those polled said they would be willing to pay more for products that reduce heating and cooling costs and 86% of homeowners felt knowledge about environmentally friendly and energy-efficient products was a key factor in the hiring process of a remodeler, builder, or contractor. Source: http://www.ecohomemagazine.com/news/homeowners-want-energy-efficient-eco-friendly-home-improvement-products.aspx ------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt: New Survey Reveals Homeowner Attitudes, Preferences Regarding Remodeling Projects The fall 2008 Remodeling Sentiment Report, a semi-annual survey of 5,000 U.S. homeowners, reveals how the amount of equity homeowners have in their property affects their remodeling plans. Homeowners participating in this most recent survey reported an average of more than $190,000 of home equity and average home values of $390,000, up from $140,000 and $342,000 respectively in the previous survey. The increase in home value and equity from respondents indicates that homeowners who have less home equity or who are living in lower-value homes have put their remodeling projects on hold, while homeowners with more financial resources are moving ahead. The sampling of U.S. remodeling permits shows a decrease in planned remodeling spending of almost 15 percent in the first half of 2008 versus the first half of 2007. Homeowners who choose to remodel their homes may find this is a good time; with new home construction at low levels, more materials and labor are available for remodeling than several ago, resulting in shorter project schedules and often lower project costs. Key findings from the fall 2008 survey include: - 84 percent report that the possibility of a recession is affecting their remodeling plans. - 81 percent plan to start their home remodel this year. Regarding cost saving efforts, homeowners report they are planning: - Not to hire a general contractor 34% - To use economy materials 10% - To do some of the work themselves 65% Other findings from the fall 2008 Remodelormove.com Remodeling Sentiment Report: Homeowners are: - Excited about remodeling 48% - Dreading remodeling 11% Homeowners' plans include: - Kitchen remodel 55% - Bathroom addition 49% - Bathroom remodel 49% - Addition of one or more bedrooms or den 39% - Enlarge or add a garage 19% - Finish a basement 13% Although this may feel like a risky time to remodel, that may not be the case. By carefully preparing and following "A SMART Remodel" strategy, homeowners can minimize the risk and maximize the results. Source: http://www.hgtvpro.com/hpro/nws_ind_nws_trends/article/0,2624,HPRO_26519_5939096,00.html ------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt: Donna Shirey’s home remodeling business aims to become greener to weather the recession When Donna Shirey cooks, she always follows the recipe precisely. She uses a similarly methodical approach in running her home remodeling company, Shirey Contracting Inc. While many small businesses take an ad hoc approach to management, Shirey has specific systems and processes in place for everything from hiring employees to making sales to building a house. That approach has worked well for Shirey in the more than two decades since she came on board her husband’s small contracting company. The Issaquah-based business, with a focus on green and energy-efficient building, had revenues of about $4.6 million last year. Shirey Contracting, like the rest of the construction industry, has seen a decline in business this year. The National Association of Home Builders’ remodeling index fell to its lowest level ever in fourth quarter 2008, and future expectations were even worse. Meanwhile, Shirey is serving as vice chair of NAHB’s Remodelers Council, and will be chair in 2010. Meanwhile, Shirey and her husband, Riley, are building their own “Zero Energy” house, which will be both their home and a demonstration project for builders and homeowners. The house is meant to generate as much energy as it consumes. It will have solar photovoltaic panels, a solar hot-water system and a wind turbine, and will be highly energy-efficient, with energy-efficient appliances and LED lighting. It will also incorporate one of Shirey Contracting’s signature building methods, the use of SIPs, or “structural insulated panels.” These panels, two pieces of oriented-strand board with a foam core in between, minimize heat loss to the outside, said Stan Price, executive director of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council. Shirey said she’s learned a lot from Builders Association classes and speakers, including how to calculate profit margins and overhead and how to set prices. That education has been critical, she said. “When you come up in the construction industry, you never formally learn management skills,” she said. Source: http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/04/20/smallb1.html?b=1240200000%5E1813470 ------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt: Green Homes Here to Stay As most real estate or energy experts would agree, green is no longer a trend among “tree huggers.” Not just about saving the Earth, it’s also about saving energy and money. “If you budget between 10 percent and 15 percent more for the cost of your house for energy efficient features, those features will pay for themselves virtually overnight,” Sailors says. According to a survey released by the U.S. Green Building Council and McGraw-Hill Construction, 78 percent of homeowners earning less than $50,000 a year say they would be more inclined to purchase a green home. The survey also showed that lower energy costs are increasingly demanded by and available to home buyers at all income levels, and going green was the top reason cited by survey respondents for remodeling their homes. More than 80 percent of respondents said they believe that green homes are not just more economical, but offer better and healthier places to live, and almost half, or 44 percent, of homes renovated between 2005 and 2007 used products chosen for their green attributes. Source: http://seattle.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2009/03/16/focus2.html?q=energy%20efficient%20home%20remodeling ------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt: Green by the Numbers Green building continues to grow as the nation wises up to the need to change how we use our limited resources. Every day, the mainstream media showcases breathtaking green houses and technologies on the cusp of adoption, such as retooled garages with plugs for cars, wind communities, and revolutionary materials that will change how houses are built. While that coverage serves a great purpose in keeping green top of mind for buyers, it’s always prudent to assess hard facts: Where does green building stand today and how are builders doing who have embraced its tenets? In this collection of infographics, we give you a snapshot of sustainable building in 2008. The survey, which we did in concert with Reed Business Information, records the responses of builders, architects, engineers, and other building professionals to see what green looks like from their perspective. Source: http://www.greenbuildermag.com/News/1108GB_Survey.pdf ------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt: Energy Efficient Roof and Help from the Recovery Act 2009 The Federal income tax credits are part of the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009”. An energy efficient new roof entitles you to claim a tax credit for 30% of the cost of the materials (not installation cost) for your new roof, up to a total maximum credit in a single year of $1,500. There are hundreds of roofing options for any type roof that meet the requirements to qualify for the tax credit. A complete list of list of qualifying roofing materials is available at the EnergyStar web site. You will find everything from insulating, highly-reflective coatings that can be applied to flat roofs, to roofing tiles made in a variety of colors and styles that offer both insulation and durability for homes in the south, southwest and beyond, to new longer-lasting and more efficient asphalt shingles, to new foam insulated metal roofing systems. The cost of the new materials will also be higher. For example, you might expect to pay about $4,500 for traditional asphalt shingles, plus $600 for removal of the old shingles. Replacing a roof with cedar shakes might cost three times as much. A new metal roofing system would probably cost about $14,600 (including removal of old shingles). But this cost would be recovered very quickly. Consider: - You take a $1,500 income tax credit - You increase the value of your home by $10,000 - You have no roof maintenance cost ever again - You don’t have to worry about leaks or the cost of repairs - You can finance the cost at a super-low interest through a state-sponsored loan program - Your electric company (only available in some states) gives you a credit of $0.12 per kilowatt hour during air conditioning season - Your state gives you a break from sales tax and a $500 rebate - You save $13,500 because you don’t have to replace the roof at years 12 and 24 - Your air conditioning cost will probably be 20% less Based on all of these factors, and on the many ways the decision to install a new energy-efficient roof will save money, you will recover the entire cost of the new roof in less than ten years! And all the while, you will enjoy greater comfort, less worry, and the knowledge that you are helping the environment. Source: http://www.remodelormove.com/content/article/article.cfm/remodel/energy_efficient_roof_and_help_from_the_recovery_act_of_2009 ------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt: It’s Not Easy… These days, the remodeling industry is abuzz with talk of the "green" revolution. To be sure, there is much cynicism surrounding the movement - some respondents to this month's survey dismissed the trend as "hype" - but many industry leaders have embraced green remodeling as the way of the future, not simply a passing fad. Most remodelers seem to be taking a cautious but active approach to incorporating sustainable building practices into their business. Jobsite recycling has become increasingly common, with 73% of respondents reporting that they either always or frequently recycle metal. Significantly fewer respondents said they recycle other materials such as glass, wood, and plastics, but more than half of remodelers surveyed say that they at least "sometimes" take part in the practice. More advanced green building practices, though, are still relatively rare. For example, nearly 70% of remodelers reported never doing blower door testing to determine a home's air leakage, and just 3% claim to regularly perform the tests. Unsurprisingly, the numbers drop significantly for installations of more advanced green products (74% of respondents say they never install solar water heaters). But when it comes to using "green" insulation - a practice that remodelers can undertake as standard operating procedure without a client request - most respondents have not taken the opportunity to be proactive. More than 20% reported never using green insulation, and the majority of remodelers use it only sometimes or rarely. But remodelers are not solely to blame for the relatively slow adoption of green building practices. Half of respondents said that there is too much confusion over which products are truly green, and that when it comes to the bottom line, clients just aren't willing to pay for it. Another 41% admitted that they're just not yet knowledgeable enough about green building to institute the practices - a challenge more easily overcome as industry standards and green certification programs are established. Source: http://www.remodeling.hw.net/remodeling/reader-panel-its-not-easy.aspx |
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