http://www.newstimes.com/business/article/Energy-efficiency-a-growing-requirement-among-5610784.php
Energy efficiency a growing requirement among home buyers
Published 11:01 pm, Wednesday, July 9, 2014
A home at 19 Lakeside Ave. in Darien was completely remodeled to be as energy efficient as possible, thanks, in part, to the south facing solar panels seen on the left side of the roof. Photo: Autumn Driscoll
When Linda Connolly started selling homes in Fairfield County 18 years ago, green house equated more to plants growing in a glass structure than an energy-efficient dwelling.
Now, homebuyers want to limit their household expenses and are increasingly demanding the home they purchase features some levels of energy efficiency, according to Connolly, a real estate agent with the William Raveis office in Danbury and president of the Northern Fairfield County Association of Realtors.
Technology like solar panels, geothermal energy and energy-efficient windows and insulation impress some buyers, and there seems to be a trend in that direction, she said, but buyers she has seen still seem to be focused more on standard priorities such as location, size and price.
"I haven't had anyone come to me and say `I'm not looking for anything without green features,' but I think there are people looking for features like energy-efficient HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning), energy-efficient appliances and ways to save water," Connolly said.
Long-term value
Connolly has not sold a home with energy-saving features like geothermal and photovoltaic solar arrays, but she said she understands why a buyer would be interested, understanding the long-term value.
"It could be a selling point for some people. They might be able to get more for their home if they advertise it as a green home," said Connolly, who represents residential properties in 14 communities in northern Fairfield County.
Realizing more homebuyers want energy-efficient features, she plans to take classes on green-home technology offered by the Connecticut Green Building Council.
Michael Trolle, owner of BPC Green Builders in Wilton, incorporated many of those technologies into his Danbury home, and the results have been impressive.
"We moved in November of 2013. This past winter was the first in the house, and in our first winter we spent $200 for electricity, and we kept the house at 70 degrees," said Troelle, who has been building energy-efficient homes for 15 years. "It's been my goal to bring green to the marketplace. We've done a lot of jobs that are LEED certified. Green building has gone mainstream."
LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an energy-efficiency rating assigned by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Deep energy retrofits
Because of tree coverage, Trolle has not been able to install solar panels on his 1,650-square-foot house on Carol Road, but he is using other technology to reduce costs.
"I attribute it to how well insulated the house is and that it's airtight and to the efficiency of the mechanical equipment," Troelle said, the installation of an energy-recovery ventilator is essential. "Every house we build has one."
Elizabeth DiSalvo, principal architect in Trillium Architects in Ridgefield and a member of the Connecticut Green Building Council Board of Directors, has worked with Troelle on several houses.
Increased has interest in building and buying energy-efficient homes, according to DiSalvo, who focuses on designing green properties.
"There are people who want to save money and think it's cool, and there are others who just want the greenest home possible," said DiSalvo, who helped organize a tour of green homes across the state hosted by the Connecticut Green Building Council during two weekends last month.
They ranged from a house where all work was done by the owner to deep energy retrofits, according to DiSalvo, to new homes "over the top" in energy efficiency.
Among the homes on the tour were several in Fairfield County.
"Right before the recession in 2008, people started asking for it (energy-efficient homes), and then the recession threw it off," DiSalvo said. "As soon as the recession ended, people were totally into it."
Assessing resale value
Philosophy differs among the professionals who design and build energy efficient homes, compared with those who construct homes using more conventional strategies, she said.
"We try to assess the resale value with clients," DiSalvo said, adding the Connecticut Green Building Council wants to educate real estate agents about the benefits of energy-efficient properties and the technology involved.
"Our council is starting to green the MLS (Multiple Listing Service)," she said. "The MLS is starting to recognize energy efficiency. Every house we do has solar panels and a version of geothermal."
Some level of green is being incorporated in most home construction, according to Katherine Pancak, professor of finance and real estate at the University of Connecticut.
"There is a growing interest in homebuyers that want to buy a green home," she said.
"Reasons vary, including wanting a home that is healthier, has lower utility and maintenance costs and leaves less of a carbon footprint on the environment.
"While a perception is green homes are expensive to build, the U.S. Green Building Council reports that energy-efficient green homes can be built for the same cost or less than conventional homes.
"The USGBC reports that just under 50 percent of new construction homes that they certify are in the affordable housing sector, indicating that green technology is being incorporated at all housing levels."
