What's the Deal with Sustainable Homes?

We often hear about the importance of “green energy” and “sustainable living” – but what does that truly mean? If you’re in the process of purchasing a home, it could be worth considering what “green energy” refers to and what a homeowner or developer means when they say “sustainable home.” Besides allowing you to use the hottest buzzwords when referring to your new home, these features have the potential to save you money and take a little weight off your conscience!

• What they are: Sustainable homes refer to homes that have been designed with the goals of 1) increasing the energy efficiency of a home, and 2) decreasing the impact that the home has on the environment and on our health. They typically utilize sustainable building materials (i.e. materials that are plentiful and not at risk of being depleted), include energy-efficient versions of things like lights, toilets, and showers, and avoid any toxic paints/ glues.
• Why people love them: Green and sustainable homes are able to save you money on your energy bills because they are typically equipped with the most energy-efficient lights, systems and appliances. Just imagine: if you live in an older building with a heating system that doesn’t work well, you’re likely going to be running the heat all day, just to keep the house warm enough. Meanwhile, if you live in a newer building with an energy-efficient heating system, you may be able to achieve that comfortable temperature just by running it when you get home from work. The amount of time needed to run the more efficient system is, in turn, cut in half – and so is that energy bill!
• Besides saving you money, this efficiency also means that you are likely emitting fewer greenhouse gases (mainly Carbon), and saving more of the world’s resources (like water and fuel). In addition, because the systems and products used to make the homes more efficient are made in a way that’s more energy efficient, you’re decreasing your Carbon footprint even more?
• How you know one when you see one: Ask the developer or the homeowner if there are any features that make the home sustainable or energy-efficient. Ask about the types of paints and glues used, and if there are any with toxic chemicals, you’ll know that it’s not a green home, and that it may have an impact on your health long-term. Know that both older homes and newer homes can be sustainable – many developers are renovating old homes for that very purpose – but newer homes are, on the whole, more sustainable and energy-efficient than older homes.

For more information on sustainable homes and some options in Massachusetts, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Meadow’s Edge team via: Susan.McDonough@Raveis.com.