Let me set the record straight…I co-own a Construction Company that Builds using Green Sustainable Materials and Practices…and I’m a Conservative Republican!  How’s that working for ya? – I’m sure you are saying to yourself.  Actually, quite well!!  I have the unique opportunity to teach clients and potential customers that there are many shades of green.  In the building community, every company is jumping on the bandwagon to be green.  I say…Buyer Beware!  But please, let me share my philosophy.

Yes, I drive a gas guzzling Jeep! You know what? I need one.  I have a husband, baby, two teenage stepchildren and two not so small dogs. Try squeezing all them and the luggage, dog food and baby strollers, and beach toys into a Prius for a ten hour trip to the Carolinas. Driving a Jeep doesn’t make me not care about the environment; I just choose to do my part in other ways. 

It is the same with construction.  Forty years ago, it was considered a luxury to have central air installed in a new home.  Nowadays, we wouldn’t consider building a new house, even at the lowest price ranges, without central air.  It is generally thought that a programmable thermostat on a new HVAC system is still less expensive and more economical than running large noisy and unsightly window or thru-wall air conditioners.  You see, in the last forty years, the marketplace evolved and it now demands that the building standards and materials make sense for the homeowner.

I would like to see GREEN CONSTRUCTION evolve the same way.  Through market driven demand and what makes sense for the end-user.  Albeit, I like it to take less than forty years, but I don’t want to see all green products and methods mandated by the local and federal governments into use.  Here’s the problem:  There are not enough qualified contractors YET! And, some products are still too expensive to make a return-on-investment for the business or home owner!

At Build it Green, Inc., we try to give the customer choices.  We concentrate on the Air Quality, Water Conservation, Thermal Comfort and Affordability, the Building Envelope and Energy Star Compliant Appliances.  In my opinion, that’s the BONES!  There are many green features that we install that I may suggest a client wait to include.  Their money is better spent in the BONES of the structure and those things usually can’t be retrofitted later without significant expenditures and interruptions.

Things like solar power are a great investment and the evolving new technology is now putting solar into the reach of the average consumer.  Tax incentives help home and business owners even more. But I try to correct people’s misconceptions about it; usually that includes – that an average system on a residence does NOT power your whole house nor will the Electric Company send you a check every month (at least, not in Pennsylvania)!  A properly sized and installed solar system will reduce your utility bills significantly and overall can be rolled into your mortgage or HELOC at a reasonable price! But here’s the kicker! Those incentives are slowly dwindling – the government’s thought is:  as Solar gets more popular, we’ll make the rebates disappear.  I’m not too sure on this one!!!! It’s the rebates that are getting the average homeowner and business owner to make the inquiries.  Won’t that stop if the price of material and installation gets too expensive again?

Yeah.. I know, if I’m a conservative why do I want the government to hand out rebates?  Well last time I checked, the government doesn’t reallocate funds once they are spoken for.  Here’s the opportunity to create the GREEN JOBS they keep talking about.  They should spend a little bit more money hiring people that actually handle the rebates and incentives so that as a business owner, I can be in front of customers and not handling a slew of paperwork.

So yeah, I’m a Republican…I’m a Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity Listener!  I don’t believe the sky is falling when it comes to the “so called” Global Warming Debate.  It is possible to be a Conservative and still care about the Earth – just not be sold on the Al Gore hype. 

 I drive a Jeep and my company has trucks and vans on the road not electric cars!  But, I have a 2 ½ year old precious beautiful little girl.  I do want to leave the earth a better place for her.  So, I do: use reusable tote bags when I go shopping, I do recycle in my house and at work, I do try to conserve water – like water the plants and yard with the baby pool water – LOL, I don’t litter, I try to combine my errands and use less gas.  I recommend to my clients: that they choose efficient equipment in the homes, choose Energy Star appliances and water-saving fixtures, install drip irrigation and rain water collection systems for their lawns and we build with equal attention to reducing what ends up in a landfill and how we build better for the customer, not bigger.

The construction market is changing because the customer wants these things for their families, not because the government is mandating them to make these choices.  Market-driven demand is making Greener choices more affordable and therefore more available to the masses.    The only thing government should regulate is the guy who owns a circular saw and screwdriver who says he’s a “Real Contractor” but doesn’t have the appropriate training or certifications or licenses or insurance. 

I’ll part with a proverb that was sent to me from a colleague – I liked it so much I think I might add the words to our trucks:  a Native American tribal proverb states this:

 ”Treat the Earth Well, it was not Given to You by your Parents, it was Loaned to You by your Children”

The author, Donna Yohe, co-owns Build it Green, Inc. , a fully licensed and insured Sustainable Contractor and Builder who serves the Philadelphia and Delaware Valley Marketplace.  It is a Family-owned and American-owned local company that also is certified for Solar Installations and New Construction and Substantial Renovations from Energy Star certified to LEED certified buildings and homes.  They can be reached 215-33GREEN or www.BuilditGreen.us   or www.BIGSolarPower.com