Issue link: http://digital.nexsitepublishing.com/i/731142
Energy Built Green requires builders to go 30 percent beyond current energy codes to get certified. is means your home will be a step ahead of the competition, because today's code minimum is tomorrow's obsolete technology (think knob and tube wiring). Insulation, windows and ventilation have come a long way over the years. If you've lived in a dray old house (or paid the energy bills) you know what I mean—it's not very comfortable and costs a fortune to keep warm in winter or cool in summer. WHY LIVE IN A BUILT GREEN HOME? A s a local builder for more than 10 years, I oen get asked, "Why should I live in a Built Green® home?" Here are some thoughts about the benefits of living in a home built to meet or exceed the Built Green standard from the Master Builders Association. First, consider that homes are required by law to be constructed to meet building codes—ordinances that set a low bar for minimal legal compliance for safety and energy. Just as building codes 100 years ago required no insulation and knob and tube wiring, today's codes require smoke detectors to keep us safe and a certain amount of insulation for comfort and lower energy bills. Anything less than current codes is illegal. Built Green is a system of extra steps a builder must take to achieve better than code minimum. Here are five aspects of the Built Green standard that you should understand before you buy, rent or build your next home. By Sloan Ritchie, Cascade Built BUILD 21 FALL 2016 HomeMatters mbaks.com