More Homebuilders Adding Energy-Efficient Features

By Todd Taber
Source: www.hardwareretailing.com, January 2020

Homebuilders are increasingly adding energy-efficient elements, even in homes they don’t consider to be “green,” according to new data from the National Association of Home Builders and Dodge Data & Analytics.

The 2020 Green Single Family and Multifamily Homes SmartMarket Brief finds that 91 percent of builders are incorporating energy-efficient practices in their projects. In addition, roughly 66 percent are completing projects designed to improve indoor air quality and water efficiency.

Some of these green building approaches include using LED lighting, energy-efficient appliances and HVAC systems.

“These findings complement the results of a recent NAHB study where home buyers ranked high-performance products and practices among the top features they want in a home,” says John Barrows, NAHB Sustainability and Green Building Subcommittee chair. “This shows us that the value of home performance is increasing among builders and consumers.”

The report also finds energy efficiency and durability are the top drivers for influencing sales of green products and systems.

Additionally, the report finds that 97 percent of green builders report using energy efficiency practices on more than 75 percent of the homes they build.

Todd is an assistant editor for Hardware Retailing magazine. He graduated from Indiana University where he majored in journalism and French. Throughout his career, he has aimed to highlight small businesses and their community value. He joined NRHA in 2017 and now serves on the news and marketing teams. In his free time, he likes to run, spend time with family and travel the country.