Talking Green Vs. Certified Green

Everyone is talking “Green” these days, “Green” cars, “Green” Cleaners, and “Green” houses, but how do you know what Green means?

At Pickett Land and Building we not only tell you what it means, we independently certify it. Each Green home comes with its own third party verification and a Green building certificate, offering the reassurance that when we say we are a green builder you know exactly what that means.

A Green built home has many advantages but unless it is certified you don’t know what you’re getting, and you can’t take full advantage of its benefits. Benefits like tax breaks, reduced energy bills, increased appraisals and a higher resale value.

Why pay for all the green features without the certificate?

Energy Star

Energy Star is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency. The mark identifies new homes, buildings, and more than 50 types of products that are energy efficient and offer the features, quality, and performance that today’s consumers expect.

A home that earns the Energy Star is significantly more efficient than a standard home. By purchasing an Energy Star qualified home, you can have all the features you desire in your new home, plus better performance and lower utility bills—all while helping prevent greenhouse gas emissions.

Compared with standard homes, Energy Star qualified homes use substantially less energy for heating, cooling, and water heating-delivering $200 to $400 in annual savings. Over the average 7 to 8 years you may live in your home, this adds up to thousands of dollars saved on utility bills. Additional savings on maintenance can also be substantial. Financing your home purchase using an energy efficient mortgage can also lead to savings.

Why Build Green?

Green buildings cost less to operate because, among other things, they use less energy and water and require less maintenance. Green homes are more durable, helping to minimize many of the maintenance problems found in typical homes. Their tight construction and improved insulation combine to ensure more consistent temperatures throughout the house. They have better indoor air quality because they minimize the use of harmful chemicals and the growth of mold; they also let in less pollen, dust, heat, cold, noise and outdoor pollutants. In addition, they have excellent resale value because green construction techniques make a strong home with a long life.

Green building is good for the environment. It's energy efficient, which reduces consumption of fossil fuels and helps fight climate change--one of our most pressing environmental issues. It also makes efficient use of water and other resources, minimizes pollution and waste, and reduces a building's overall environmental impact. And, as many building professionals and home owners are increasingly discovering, there are as many advantages to building green as there are techniques.