New homes offer green features, increased efficiency

The home building industry celebrates New Homes Month in April. Research shows that two of the many benefits of buying a new home are its increased energy efficiency and reduced impact on the environment.

Recent analysis by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reveals that, on a per-square-foot basis, the newer a single-family home is, the less energy it uses. Even though newer homes are larger, their increased efficiency more than offsets the extra square footage. In fact, homes built since 1999 tend to use the same to slightly less energy than homes built before 1950.

Builders are using the latest technologies to reduce household energy consumption. From improved insulation to energy-efficient appliances, new homes offer consumers the opportunity to reduce their energy use and support a cleaner environment.

A newly-constructed home or condominium can offer energy-efficient features, such as tankless water heaters and ENERGY STAR appliances and HVAC systems, which make the home more comfortable and can save the homeowner significant money over the long term.

At the same time, an increasing number of single-family and multifamily builders are delivering green homes to consumers who are looking for even more sustainable features. Green builders incorporate energy, water and resource efficiency, improved indoor environmental quality and sustainable and locally sourced products into their projects.

A McGraw Hill Construction-NAHB report shows that 62% of single-family builders say more than 15% of their projects are green. Likewise, 65% of builders report using renewables with at least some of their projects.