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Central Vacuums Meeting Demand for Healthier Homes
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A California study found that central vacuum systems remove enough dust and allergens to reduce allergies and improve indoor air quality. | Central vacuum systems, an important amenity in the luxury home and move-up markets for decades, have become much more prevalent in recent years as more builders feature the systems as part of their response to consumer demand for healthier homes ― plus, they can earn builders up to five points in the Indoor Environmental Quality section toward certification under the soon-to-be-released National Green Building Standard.
A Consumer Electronic Association (CEA) survey of builders conducted last year found that 76% of the respondents offered central vacuum systems to their buyers.
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Installing a system. |
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Builders who install central vacuum systems can earn up to five points toward certification under the soon-to-be-released National Green Building Standard. | A 2006 NAHB building product survey showed similar interest among builders and buyers when it found that builders installed central vacuum systems in 30% of the new luxury homes that year and almost one-fifth of move-up homes.
Ron Jones, a former custom builder in Santa Fe, N.M., said his company offered the systems in all their homes.
“Central vacuum systems ceased being an option for us years ago,” Jones said. “We wanted all of our customers to benefit from the improved indoor air quality (IAQ), superior cleaning and convenience of a properly designed and installed central vacuum system.”
Central vacuum systems began to emerge as an indoor air quality enhancement in 2002 when a clinical study by the allergy and immunology division of the University of California, Davis School of Medicine confirmed a link between central vacuum systems and allergy relief. The study found that patients’ allergy symptoms improved 40% to 61% when they switched from using a portable vacuum to a built-in central vacuum system to clean their homes.
“We had numerous anecdotal accounts that allergy patients felt better when they installed a central vacuum system,” said Larry Hartley, of Electrolux Central Vacuum Systems whose Beam vacuum systems were used by the allergy patients in the medical school study.
“The study results confirmed that having a more powerful motor that can remove 100% of captured dust and allergens without stirring up dust in the house significantly improved the air quality of the home.”
Healthy Home Important to Buyers
According to a 2007 builder survey by Professional Builder magazine, having healthy indoor air ranked second only to energy efficiency in importance to buyers. Eighty-three percent of the builders rated indoor air quality as “somewhat or very important” to their customers, according to the survey.
Following that study’s publication, several local home builders associations and national green building and healthy home demonstration programs — including the American Lung Association’s Health House program — added central vacuum systems to their list of recommended or required products to address indoor air quality.
Manufacturers believe that the health benefits and new standards, combined with the affordability of central vacuum systems, ranging from $1,200 to $1,800 for a typical new home, will increase the popularity of the systems.
“These products contribute to indoor air quality and are a great product to incorporate into a newly built home,” says Jill Notini, director of communications and marketing for the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. “Not only do central vacuums contribute to IAQ, they are powerful, convenient systems that new home owners will love.”
 Information About Home Technology Available From HTA
The Home Technology Alliance (HTA) is a partnership between NAHB and the Custom Electronic Design Installation Association (CEDIA) that was formed to position the housing industry to effectively meet the growing home buyer demand for home technology and provide maximum return on investment in the new home building and remodeling process.
For more information, visit www.nahb.org/HTA.
 ‘Profit from Green Building’ Available at BuilderBooks.com
“Profit from Building Green — Award-Winning Tips to Build Energy Efficient Homes,” available through BuilderBooks.com, showcases what energy conscious award-winning builders are doing, provides innovative energy-efficient features and covers successful techniques for building this niche market.
To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665.
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