Building Green In Michigan

More and more consumers want homes that are energy efficient, safe, durable and environmentally sustainable. Since 2000, builders in West Michigan have been filling that need through Green Built Michigan, founded in Grand Rapids by a group of concerned builders and environmentalists.

"Originally Green Built was simply aimed at job-site recycling," said Chris Hall, executive director of the statewide organization. "But soon the builders decided to come up with a program to build sustainable houses with third-party certification. Our first certified green home was built in 2002."

Green Built Michigan became a free-standing organization four years later and now is headquartered in Lansing. Hall said West Michigan, especially Grand Rapids, continues to be one of the leaders of the green home movement.

"There are more green built homes in Grand Rapids than any other place in the world," Hall said.

Green Built Homes follow seven key principles for design and construction: • Lot design, Preparation and Development

Green Built points are earned through a scoring system within each of the key principles. Once certain point levels are reached, a home can earn a bronze, silver or gold. "It's definitely a way for a builder to set himself apart from the 72,000 licensed builders in the state," Hall said.

Like Rich Bloem of True North Homes, who has won industry awards for his energy efficient houses. "We look at a house as a system relating to weather and elements, how a house is going to be used, the occupants and cubic footage and take all of those factors into account so the home perform for many years."

One of the key principles is energy efficiency, so all Green Built certified homes must meet the EPA Energy Star requirements. To qualify, the home's design must have a complete energy analysis with independent testing of the final product. Independent testing is done to ensure that energy usage of a new home will be up to 50 percent lower than conventional homes.

Other common features that add to overall rating in a home include using recycled materials, non-toxic paint and finishes, dual-flush toilets, tank less water heaters, and drought resistant landscapes.

The program is similar to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED standards (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), Hall said. "But LEED is aimed at the innovators and cutting edge builders. We are aiming at the mainstream – the average house being built. That's important because we're seeing customer demand for green homes increase dramatically. I get calls from people every day."

For more information about Green Built homes, go to www.greenbuiltmichigan.org