|
Builder Outsells Competition by Focusing on Green Standard
With this year’s NAHB National Green Building Conference on May 8-10 focusing on “The Green of Green,” Virginia home builder Arjay West said that he is heading to Dallas next month to learn more about incorporating green building into his business plan and using sustainable building techniques to help gain a local market advantage over his competition.
“I have actually outsold my competition lately in custom homes in Northern Virginia by using a strategy that focuses on the National Green Building Standard and my Certified Green Professional (CGP) designation,” said West, principal of West Properties, LLC in Falls Church.
“As corporate policy, we have all of our homes certified through the NAHB National Green Building Program,” West said, “and we will only take on projects where the customers agree to the certification and to specifications designed to yield a minimum score of Silver.”
Under the standard, homes can reach the Bronze, Silver, Gold or Emerald level, depending on their scores in six categories — energy, water and resource efficiency; lot and site development; indoor environmental quality; and home owner education and home maintenance.
Requirements in each category increase by level. For example, homes at the Bronze level must be 15% more energy efficient than the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code, while homes at the Emerald level must achieve a 60% increase — in addition to meeting more stringent requirements in the other categories.
“We build the cost of the certification into the sales price,” said West. “I have sold three custom homes in the last six months using this very strategy, and we have actually been able to up-sell two of the homes to Gold because the customers really get into the process and see the value of a higher score.”
West said that he has won bids over other builders who were not CGPs, had no knowledge of the standard or were reluctant or unwilling to go through the certification process. “We have really embraced the opportunity to put our homes up against those of our competitors in what we like to call the first true test of performance and sustainability,” he said.
West added that he is always careful not to set up unreasonable expectations.
“We are careful not to overpromise and guarantee a particular level, and the customers recognize that the final score is in their hands to a large degree, as their product selections impact the final score,” he said.
“What we do require is all of the mandatory elements, and then we price in other elements that we feel are most important to the ultimate performance of the home. So far, we are working on two Golds and a Silver. One of the Golds is very close to achieving a total NAHBGreen score of 700 points, is carbon neutral and has a 4-kilowatt photovoltaic system that might make the house zero-energy, depending on light fixtures selections and family usage.
“The Green Building Standard, the NAHBGreen Web site and the online scoring tool are amazing tools for builders and are true testaments to those who worked tirelessly to create them. It is only a matter of time until this standard becomes the green home standard of record for homes,” West said.
Registration information for the conference is available at www.nahb.org/greenbuildingconference.
 ‘National Green Building Standard’ Available at BuilderBooks.com
“The National Green Building Standard,” available through BuilderBooks.com, provides “green” practices that can be incorporated into multifamily and single-family new home construction, home remodeling and additions and site development.
The standard covers lot design, resource, energy and water efficiency; indoor environment quality; and owner education.
Currently the first and only ANSI-approved green building rating system, the National Green Building Standard is the benchmark for green homes.
To view or purchase this publication online, click here.
 The Future of Residential Construction Is Green
The Certified Green Professional (CGP) designation teaches builders, remodelers and other industry professionals techniques for incorporating green building principles into homes using cost-effective and affordable options.
Earning the CGP demonstrates to clients and peers your commitment to the best and latest in green building practices and techniques. More than 1,000 people have earned the CGPdesignation to date.
For more information, visit www.nahb.org/CGPinfo.
‘Building Greener Neighborhoods’ Available at BuilderBooks.com
“Building Greener Neighborhoods,” available through Digital Delivery at BuilderBooks.com, shows those involved in building new communities the advantages and rewards of saving, planting and transplanting more trees in their developments.
The examples are drawn from decades of experience of land developers, home builders and urban foresters.
To download this publication in a PDF format, click here, or call 800-223-2665.
 ‘Profit from Building Green’ 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.
|
