Six Myths about Green Building

The sustainable construction industry and green living initiative has really progressed over the past few years, however, some common myths still remain, deterring some homeowners from choosing to build a green home.  Here are a few of the most common residential green building myths.

Green Building Costs Too Much

The idea that green building is too expensive is one of the most common misconceptions about the industry. This myth has been contested may times in the past with proof that green building is cost effective and affordable, however, many homeowners still call on this excuse to decline building a green home. One of the reasons this myth is still around is because a lot of the high-profile builders who get attention for Green Building are very high-end, promoting the idea that green building is more expensive. Of course, there are many affordable green builders, such as Olde Heritage Builders, who can work within a budget to create a home that sustains green building practices while remaining within a family's price range.

Green Building is Only about Materials

When individuals think about green building, some of the first items that come to mind are green materials, like materials made out of recycled content, low embodied energy materials, no VOC's, and more. However, although these green building materials are a part of the job, they aren't the entire job. Green building includes more than just green materials, drawing in decisions like energy performance, site selection, and construction processes.

Green Building Products Don't Work as Well

We admit that there are some "green" products that have given the industry a bad reputation, such as low-flow toilets and fiberglass insulation, however, the idea that these products don't work as well as traditional construction products comes from comparison from outdated technologies. Next time anyone mentions how 1.6 gallon-per-flush toilets don't work, let them know that they were mandated in all new construction over ten years ago. The truth is that green products work just as well, if not better than traditional construction materials.

Green Products are hard to Find

This too, is an outdated myth. In the past, green products were more difficult to purchase in some parts of the country, but over the past decade, the industry has grown exponentially, making green products readably available nationwide. It may be as simple as asking for a green alternative, or using resources like green directories and finding the right product for the job.

Green Homes look "Weird"

You don't have to build a geodesic dome in order to have an energy efficient and sustainably built home. These days, green homes can be indistinguishable from any other home. For proof of this, check out the portfolio on OldeHeritage.com. Olde Heritage builds beautiful homes and communities that don't visually advertise their "green" aspects, but do promote a quality built home with a focus on environmentally friendly construction.

Building a Green Home is Too Complicated

Home owners often think that building a green home is far too complicated to be considered. The truth lies in the fact that sustainability makes sense and many of the decisions in building a green home are fundamental. Building a green home isn't a difficult or invasive problem, instead should be considered as a way to go back to the basics on home design and construction.

Check out ShieldsofGreen.com, a Raleigh Metropolitan Area green building directory that connects several green initiatives in the area, including OldeHeritage Builders, Ray Family Farms, NC Energy Savers, and Build Trust Contractors.