At first glance, Andy Walker’s house appears like any other new home under construction. Thudding hammers and whirring saws echo throughout its hollow frame. The scent of earth and sawdust hangs in the cool spring air. But besides the ordinary sights and sounds of construction, something unique is taking place.
Walker chose to construct his home using the procedures of Built Green, a house design program dedicated to reducing the environmental impact of construction. Built Green is a nonprofit organization, partnered with the Building Industry Association of Whatcom County, which provides local builders with a method to certify their projects as environmentally friendly.
Walker said quick and easy construction is taking its toll on the environment and he and a handful of local developers are seeking a better way of building.
Strolling around the build site, Walker pointed to some of the Built Green features of the development, such as reuse of natural materials that builders traditionally throw away.
"We use woodchips all around the site to control erosion while we build," he said. The tree trunks will later be hauled off for Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association stream restoration projects, Walker said.
A pile of dirt the size of a small car was moved to make way for the house’s foundation and will be used in the vegetable garden at the side of the house, Walker said.
Reusing natural materials is just one of the principles used in making modern homes greener. Much of the Built Green process happens before the first shovel even hits the dirt. Builders consider many factors before construction begins in order to make the most out of the land. These concerns include factors like climate, water flow, natural light and native vegetation.
"There are 46 windows in this little house," Walker said, basking in the warm glow from the bay window in the master bedroom. "Why waste electricity when the sun’s right here?"
Well-planned window placement makes the house more energy efficient during the day by using less energy to heat and illuminate the house, Walker said.
Walker said some of the most valuable parts of green building are not visible.
"I’m installing a geothermal heating system in this house, which is underground magic, if you ask me," Walker said leaning against a silver furnace pipe.
A geothermal heating system uses the Earth’s ability to store heat in the soil. These systems, also called ground-source heat pumps, capture this steady supply of heat energy and move it from the earth to the building.
According to the article "Mining the earth for heat," geothermal heating systems use 25 to 70 percent less energy than conventional systems like electricity or natural gas, and can reduce energy bills from $35 to $70 per month.
Bill Querhn, BIAWC executive vice president and one of the founders of Built Green in Whatcom County, said it takes an average of 10 years for green appliances to pay for themselves.
Walker said his employer, Brian Evans, inspired him to make his home more eco-friendly. Evans owns Green Mountain Homes, a housing construction company dedicated to green building.
"We as a company feel that green thinking is important," Walker said. "Planning is so paramount, and it should be done more in general construction."
Evans’ company is one of the founding members of the Built Green organization in Whatcom County.
"Some people have been using these kinds of green building techniques for years," Evans said. "This program is simply putting those methods into quantifiable measurements in hopes of creating a standard for the future."
A-1 Builders in Bellingham is ahead of the curve in green building. It is recognized as one of the region’s premier building contractors working towards more sustainable construction practices.
Cindi Landreth, a residential designer and co-owner of A-1 Builders, said her company is not affiliated with the Built Green program because it has been building responsibly since 1955.
"We are thrilled that the BIAWC and Built Green are moving forward with this philosophy," she said. "But we chose not to get involved because we are already there."
Landreth said A-1 Builders works with people who are environmentally minded. She and her customers are deliberate in their stand for more sustainable home building and remodeling. However, she said that Built Green is a baby step in the right direction for the industry because it makes sustainable development more palatable to the builder as well as the consumer.
"The biggest concept that we believe in, though, has yet to be stressed by Built Green," Landreth said. "Size really does matter. A 3,000 square foot house just isn’t green."
A-1 Builders encourages consumers to build small because building size is where the largest environmental impact truly lies, she said. A huge house with five bedrooms and a three-car garage has much more of an impact on the environment than a two bedroom cottage, she said.
Whether the building industry chooses to face the impact of a growing population, the United States will. According to the article "Toward a new metropolis: The opportunity to rebuild America," the United States will need 100 billion square feet of new residential space by 2030 to house its growing population.
"If we’re going to get the building industry onboard with sustainable building, we need to start with the consumers," Landreth said. "We as a society need to shift our awareness as homeowners and consider that we are part of a community, and our individual homes impact that community."
Querhn said the key is in making the environmental impact of each new build as light as possible.
"Any way you look at it, we are going to need more houses," he said. "If we’re going to make an ecological footprint, we should at least try to make it a small one."
The Built Green program created a point system for builders to follow in order to certify their projects as green homes. Builders earn these points by preserving natural soil and vegetation at the build site, recycling materials, using non-toxic chemical products and using efficient heat, light and water systems in the house.
"Built Green was designed to keep the building industry ahead of government regulation, rather than just being responsive to it," Querhn said.
The BIAWC was the fourth local building association in the state of Washington to incorporate a Built Green program into its organization. King, Snohomish, Pierce, Jefferson, Kitsap and Thurston Counties also have Built Green Programs.
Evans worked with Querhn in 2003 when Built Green in Whatcom County was still in the conceptual stages.
"Like all other good ideas, this had to start somewhere," Evans said. "And it’s time our industry started to embrace conservation and efficiency."
Querhn said the program still has a ways to go. Since 2003, only 12 homes in Whatcom County have been built with Built Green certification.
"The main thing that deters people from buying green homes is the price," Querhn said.
The extra time and effort needed to construct an environmentally conscious home can make its starting price 10 to 20 percent more expensive than a similar house built with conventional methods, he said.
The planning and preparation involved requires more of the builder and the buyer than the average home construction, Evans said.
"Green building is hard work," Evans said. "But most things that are of value are."
Walker said he hopes that consumers will see the value they get when investing in a Built Green home. Green Mountain Homes has started another green home project without securing a prospective buyer. Walker said he is confident that the added value of the house will sell itself.
"For most people it’s not the green in the environment that makes their decision, it’s the green in their wallet," Walker said. "But what most people don’t realize is that making your home more efficient really pays off in the long run."