Green Housing Green Home-Building Businesses:

Green Housing

Green home-building businesses: Controls and follow-up

Controls

One critical aspect of quality control inherent in any green home building business is that of home inspection. Home inspection is important to ensure the safety of the inhabitants of any residential structure, but for a green home, the environmentally-friendly aspects advertised by the builder or seller must also be validated. New residents will often want to ensure that their homes are inspected by certified, independent professional home inspectors. Fortunately, associations such as the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, Inc. are offering courses specifically designed for green home inspectors. Inspecting the structures before sale and providing buyers with a copy of the energy audit is one way to guarantee that the home is genuinely green, and not merely advertized as such. On a state-by-state basis, many associations such as GreenPoint Rated Existing Home in California provide rating systems for homes engaged in energy upgrades, which can be useful for remodeled homes. "A major objective of the Existing Home rating system is to educate homeowners about the benefits of green remodeling and to provide a pathway for making continued improvements" (Build it green announces partnership with the California Real Estate Inspection Association, 2009, Build it Green).

High-quality inspection is essential given that some green buildings will command a higher price than standard structures and consumers will want to know why green remodeling can save them money. Consumers interested in green building are likely to want proof that the structures will show genuine value over time, and are genuinely energy-efficient, in accordance with EPA regulations. For the builder, when subcontracting aspects of the green structure, such as energy-efficient windows, appliances or other materials, reviewing the validity of these credentials is important so the builder gets maximum value from such input materials. The EPA's Energy Star program certifies the 'greenness' of specific products. For buyers who wish to find an independent home inspector on their own to survey the green structure before buying, the EPA provides recommendations: "If you are interested in getting specific recommendations for improving the efficiency of your home, consider contacting a professional Home Energy Auditor. A professional auditor can use a variety of techniques and equipment to determine the energy efficiency of your home. Thorough audits often use equipment such as blower doors, which measure the extent of leaks in the building envelope, and infrared cameras, which reveal hard-to-detect areas of air infiltration and missing insulation" (Home energy audits, 2009, EPA).

Follow-up