Though the second day of the 2008 International Builders’ Show in Orlando, FL was Valentine’s Day, the most prominent color at this year’s show was green. Indeed, the second day was called Green Day and dedicated to environmentally friendly education and programs for kitchen and bath designers, builders, remodelers and other allied professionals.
Around every corner of the show’s more than one million net sq. ft. of exhibit space, there were green products such as low-flow showerhead technology from companies such as Delta and Alsons that are designed maintain the integrity of the shower experience, and energy-efficient and water-saving appliances from Bosch, Thermador and Gaggenau, and displays such as Whirlpool’s sustainable kitchen.
Outside in the Show Village there was a green model home along with a high-tech home and a “comfortably affordable home.” There was also the NextGen Home, whose theme was “Ultimate Value” and included features and amenities that made the home very high-tech, very green and still very affordable, three keys to the ailing building market right now. Off site there was the Vision 2008 all-green home along with The New American Home (now in its 25th year) and The New Southern Home, which were built with plenty of eco-friendly building/design options.
In addition, the NAHB not only emphasized green building as the right thing to do, but also as a way to survive and thrive in an economy that’s been affected by the subprime mortgage market across the boards.
In fact, during the press conferences to launch its Green Building Program and unveil its Green Building Standard, it was asserted that while it may cost more upfront to build and remodel green, buying and building eco-friendly, energy-efficient homes will yield consumers a great deal of savings on utility bills later and during the course of homeownership.
Thus, encouraging consumers to make more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly choices for their homes can be portrayed by building and design professionals looking to sell the homes they have on the block, and those they will design and build, as a value proposition: invest in green building/remodeling options now, and reap the savings.
This value proposition was driven home by the fact that the NAHB’s Green Building Program was defined as one that is flexible (builders can choose from a host of green building options that fit the consumer’s budget, taste, location and house style) and affordable.
“Our belief is that these programs have to retain affordability to [appeal] to consumers,” explained Bob Jones, NAHB v.p./secretary. “The program allows all builders to build green in a cost-effective way. Builders, or their clients, can choose from a menu of green options so they can select those features that make the most sense for… the consumer, their budget and a location or a style or a home they want to live in. The most visible new feature of our green building program is a green scoring and certification technology that will be administered by the NAHB Research Center [and found at www.nahbgreen.org].”
Jones added: “As an association we believe that voluntary programs [like this one] and incentives are the best way to encourage the growth of dynamic new business practices.” (To hear more of what Jones said, click here.)
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| Bob Jones, NAHB v.p./secretary, called the association’s new Green Building Program voluntary, flexible and affordable. |
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| In support of the building industry’s, as well as the kitchen and bath design industry’s, drive toward green design, Whirlpool Corp. created this Sustainable Kitchen. It’s made with all eco-friendly products, noted Mark Johnson, FAIA, CKD, architect and senior manager of architecture and design marketing for Whirlpool. |
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| This year The New American Home was not only set apart by the celebration of its 25th anniversary, but also by the fact that it was the first show home to be certified by the NAHB’s new Green Building Program, which was launched on Green Day during the 2008 IBS. In addition, the cabinetry was provided by Timberlake Cabinetry, which has also received certification by the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association Environmental Stewardship Program on its entire line of products. |
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| The New Southern Home was built with plenty of eco-friendly building and design techniques and products. In addition, the cabinetry was also provided by Timberlake Cabinetry. |
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| Palm Harbor Homes’ Green Home was on display at the Show Village at the 2008 IBS. Measuring only 30 ft. wide and less than 68 ft. deep, it was designed for a family using all green building techniques and products. |
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| Palm Harbor Homes’ ‘Comfortably Affordable’ Home was on display at the Show Village at the 2008 IBS. Just 15-1/2-ft.-wide, the two-story home features three bedrooms, 2-1/2 baths and porches on both levels. It was built with the first-time homebuyer in mind using green technologies and products. |
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| Palm Harbor Homes’ High-Tech Home was on display at the Show Village at the 2008 IBS. Featuring three levels, the home offers such high-tech amenities as a high-end sound system in the bath and shower areas, a touchpad-controlled lighting system, a tankless water heater and a home theater with a projection screen. |
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| The NextGen Home, whose theme was ‘Ultimate Value,’ included features and amenities that made the home very high-tech, very green and still very affordable, three keys to ailing building market right now. |
