Learn About Green Home Building Programs and Resources in Texas

A visit to Austin one day in the summer has astounded me. A friend proudly introduced to me her "green home". I know I have heard of it, but I have never really set foot in one. From the outside, it looks just like any ordinary house. But when I walked in and she showed me the technical details of the house, I was amazed.

Green is in. Even in bigger states like Texas, people are now fast becoming aware of the possibility that we can be a little more environmentally helpful by building eco-friendly houses. In many big Texas cities, the business of building green homes is growing. The reason is that there are far more benefits than pitfalls in owning an eco-friendly home.

Standard Home vs. Green Home

How can you tell the difference between an ordinary house and a green home?

My friend showed me that the builders of her house were able to construct a mechanism that saves rainwater and converts it to clean tap so that her family is self-sufficient during drought. She called it the "grey water" storage tank. They were also able to create a home water treatment process that does not use chlorine and filters out elements which the municipal water plants could not. To conserve even more water, this Austin green home has been installed with faucets and showerheads that minimize water waste. Finally, she impressed me with her eco-friendly toilet. It was built in a way that uses less water when flushing, but works just as efficiently as a regular toilet.

Then she toured me around her living room. Her Texas green home, she said, is covered with low VOC interior paint that don't emit toxic material like regular paint does. She explained that the temperature in her house fluctuates nicely according to the weather. When it's cold, the house's walls and ceilings were insulated with foam; thus, it is kept warm. Her hot water tanks was also wrapped with insulation jacket. "I get tax credit since I have a more energy-efficient house." She explained that the green home builders created smart roof ventilation that was able to keep the heat in the house during cold months and let out the heat during summer.

Then, the electric bills. So how is she able to spend less on electricity with her Texas green home? Not only does she have some pretty obscure but neat looking solar panels, she also uses appliances with labeled with an Energy Star logo. She admits that in reality, even regular glass windows can help keep the house warm or cool. But with the solar panels (also called photovoltaic cells), they are able to generate their own electricity.

Benefits of Green Homes

So, after seeing this eco-friendly Texas house, should we really believe this is the next big thing? The US Green Building Council lists down several benefits to a green home:

Environmental: Green homes help conserve natural resources, reduce solid waste, improve the quality of water and air, and even protect ecosystems.

Economic: Green homes and buildings optimize performance and improve productivity in the workplace, helps reduce operating costs, and thus boost economic profits. Additionally, a green home that is out in the real estate market is likely to sell faster.

Health: Green homes save our health and save our planet. They enhance our overall comfort and well-being. What could be a better feeling knowing that we are creating a better environment for the next generation to come?

Even though the benefits far outweigh the pitfalls of building green homes, some people are pessimistic when they look at the return of investment (ROI) towards an eco-friendly dwelling. Even though builders say that a green home is only 2% to 4% more expensive than standard homes, some homebuyers understand that this equates to higher mortgage rates and thus a longer time to recoup their investment. The modern green homes of today are believed to save enough money on bills that the homeowners will see their ROI within 3 to 5 years.

Texas Green Building Programs

In Texas, there is no shortage of organizations, realtors and builders who are willing to provide more information if you are interested in green homes. In Austin, check out the Green Building Program, where you can read about case studies, projects and tools for beginners or professionals. Dallas has its own task force at Green Dallas.net, providing news and other important information regarding the city's greening projects. Houston has a collection of blogs, one of which is Turning Houston Green.com (by eco-broker Stephanie Edwards-Musa). San Antonio also leads the state with its own green homes program Build San Antonio Green.