"It's not easy being green," said Kermit the frog. But if you're in the market for a new home, it may be easier than you think. Green is a color that more builders and home buyers are embracing as they find being kind to the environment has benefits for people, too.

Whether or not you're actively searching for a "green" home, you may benefit from the green building movement of the past ten years. The National Association of Home Builders, in its report on "The Next Decade For Housing," says "a typical house built in 2000 is considerably more 'green' than the most energy efficient houses of a decade ago, and the house of 2010 will push these trends even further."

Austin, Texas, is a pioneer in the green building movement with a program that began in 1991. The city now provides information nationwide to builders, homebuyers and governments who are interested in taking a more environmentally friendly approach to development. One element of Austin's program is a five-star rating system that allows builders who participate to advertise their "green" quotient.

Why should someone care about being green? Mark Richmond, Residential Project Manager of Austin Energy's Green Building Program, says builders "get notoriety." Homebuyers get a home that is "lower cost to operate, healthier, uses materials that are less environmentally damaging, and fits better within the community." The "fit" includes features such as being close to public transportation and being conducive to walking.

The U.S. Green Building Council currently has a rating system in place for commercial, institutional and high-rise residential buildings which it calls LEED -- Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design. Richmond is chairing a Council committee that is developing a residential rating system that can be applied across the country. Its LEED system is expected to be rolled out in 2003.

Newmark Homes is among the builders that has embraced the "green" concept in Austin. Chuck Lemmond, Vice President of Purchasing for the Central Texas region, admits that building green "is more expensive to a certain degree, but we think that the consumers actually perceive value in the components that are deemed green." He says more and more people are looking beyond the initial cost and becoming aware of the operating costs of a home over the long run.

Newmark's green building program focuses on three areas -- sustainability, conservation and safety.

According to Lemmond, for sustainability "we use parts and pieces that are more durable, that have to be replaced less often, and that lessens the impact on the environment." On the conservation side, Lemmond says they look for "energy savings and water savings." And when it comes to safety, "we use things like Posi-Temp shower valves, so if someone flushes a toilet, it balances the hot and cold water temperatures. You'll have less pressure, but the temperature remains the same."

Newmark has incorporated a number of other features into its "green" homes. "We have a rollout recycling center in the kitchen, programmable thermostats that help economize, we do a four-inch pleated air filter, which is above the one-inch most have, and we use a high-efficiency HVAC system," says Lemmond. Newmark also uses high performance glass and a radiant barrier roof decking to conserve energy.

Lemmond says the green building movement was initially viewed as "hay bales, and way out there." However, he says he's "seeing more and more national production home builders who are embracing it as a way to enhance their competitive edge and really do the right thing."

Carol Ochs is a Washington-based reporter who covers new home trends.

Published: April 3, 2001

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