Liberty, justice and green building for all

Green building is coming home to many across the country, regardless of the amount of green lining their pockets. One might think that soaring energy prices and the economic downturn would throw up barriers to green homes for anyone but the wealthy (ironic, since green homes can significantly mitigate these problems for populations that are marginalized due to living under the poverty line). Instead, affordable housing developers and low-income homebuyers are recognizing that the long-term health and economic benefits of green homes actually contribute to a more marketable and financially stable situation.   

Building green costs less

Building green saves money over time; but what about first cost? This could be considered a barrier, yes. Fortunately, more builders are gaining green building knowledge and expertise to meet increased consumer demand and regulatory requirements. The building industry has shed the added soft costs formerly tacked on to cover the learning curve of working with “new” green materials and strategies, and many now see their familiarity with green as a competitive advantage. Standard housing products and practices for many contractors in the region integrate some level of green, and most builders have not raised their prices for basic green building measures such as advanced framing, or installation of durable or less-toxic building materials.

The public sector is doing what it can to nudge this trend along. For example, the City of Portland has crafted a residential new construction high-performance green building policy that creates substantial economic incentives for residential builders that beat the minimum 2007 Oregon energy code by 30 percent to 45 percent. Builders that only meet code would pay a one-time carbon pollution fee. Once enacted, this dual carrot-and-stick approach will incentivize all residential contractors to build a greener housing product, regardless of the income range of their target buyer.

Show me the money

Affordable green housing is becoming more commonplace, reducing skepticism about the feasibility of building green affordable housing. Green housing for income-qualified residents is now popping up along the West Coast. High Point, a Hope VI development, offers a mix of market-rate and affordable housing and rentals in Seattle —all of which are green.