What is Green Building?

Building ‘green’ means many different things to many different people.  While we can all agree that the term ‘building green’ is a way to describe construction practices that are more environmentally friendly than conventional practices, it can still be confusing as to what it truly means.  Other terms you may hear often are, “Sustainable”, “Environmentally Responsible”, “Resource Efficient” and “Healthy”.  Some of these terms are used interchangeably, some indicate a particular focus. 

Some green builders are mostly paying attention to the environment of the house itself.  By using non-toxic materials, ventilation and air filtration systems, water filters and other techniques, they are reducing indoor air pollution to help create a “healthy” indoor environment.

Other builders look at green building from a broader perspective.  They address concerns with respect to the impact the house has on the total environment.  They consider how the house will affect water, landfills, wildlife or the air quality in the neighborhood. There are many more readily available products like ceramic tiles made from car windshields, high quality carpet made from recycled soda bottles, insulation made from recycled denim and a wide variety of engineered products made from was formerly thrown away.  We, as a society, are moving towards being more conscious, more responsible with how we live our lives with respect to the environment.

What does Green Building mean to Harring Construction Co.?
We believe that Green starts with Energy.  Did you know that 80% of all environmental damage on the planet deals with energy in one way or another---- finding it, transporting it, creating it, or using it?  Our building efforts concentrate on energy efficiency, water efficiency and material efficiency.  Of all three topics, we feel energy is 80 percent of the deal.  We feel by building differently--- building a home more energy efficient, that the homeowner benefits by paying less on their utility bills (at least 15% less or more), lives more comfortably and lives more responsibly by creating a smaller carbon footprint in the environment.  Therefore, Harring Construction Co. has committed to build EACH home as a certified EarthCraft and ENERGY STAR home.

Why Build Green?

1. Better Performance:  Properly installed energy efficient improvements deliver better protection against cold, heat, drafts, moisture, pests, pollution and noise.  An energy efficient home helps ensure consistent temperatures between rooms, improved indoor air quality and greater durability.
2. Lower Ownership Cost:  Compared with standard construction, Harring Construction Co. built homes use substantially less energy for heating, cooling and water heating---delivering $ 200 to $ 400 in annual savings.  Additional savings are recognized for using less water and implementing CFL (compact fluorescent light bulbs) in high use areas.   Although these energy savings may seem small relative to the cost of monthly mortgage payments, no one likes to waste money.  Plus, over the 7 or 8 years that a typical buyer lives in the home, it adds up to thousands of dollars saved. 
3. Smarter Investment:  By choosing a Harring Construction Co. built home with the EarthCraft designation, you can be confident that it will be an increasingly valued feature when the time comes to sell.  Currently, the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) that REALTORS use to list homes in their database, have a specific box that is available to be used IF a house is a certified green home.  This is an important distinction that is available to show potential buyers which home is built to a high energy efficient standard. 
4. Added Confidence:  Just because a house is built to code, doesn’t mean it will be comfortable or affordable to operate.  Having a home certified as a EarthCraft home gives buyers the confidence that the builder was required to utilize advanced building techniques and have it tested by an independent third party to ensure the house met the strict requirements to achieve proper installation and high energy efficiency.
5. Environmental Protection:  Since all Harring Construction Co. built homes achieve higher energy efficiency standards, they use less energy which helps prevent greenhouse gas emissions.  Greater energy efficiency helps us make the most of our energy resources, mitigates the impact of high energy prices, decreases the need for new power plants, lowers our reliance on energy imports, and reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants at the source. 

LIVE SMARTER, LIVE COMFORTABLY, LIVE RESPONSIBLY!