5 reasons green building is cheaper

5 reasons green building is cheaper

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Many people think that green building is far more expensive than regular building.

Yes, the material and energy-saving systems may cost a bit more than you have expected now, but when you compare costs in the long run, you might get a better picture of what we are aiming.

Especially if you are environmentally conscious – think of the world full of energy saving houses that bring more profit than damage.

In the following few paragraphs you are going to see why green building is cheaper than regular construction.

1. Mortgage

If you now invest in building a sustainable house rather than a conventional and put a mortgage on it, the mortgage may stay constant over the years. However, if you opt for regular construction you think you are going to pay less now, but you are not.

Since the fossil fuels get more expensive over the years, which directly influences the economy, this means that your mortgage may stay tax-deductible, but energy bills will not, so you will end up losing money.

There is also the option of paying the mortgage off earlier than expected, but the energy bills – which are going to increase over time – you cannot deal with in the same way, which only proves that you are going to lose more money.

2. Better selling options

Once you pay the mortgage off and, perhaps, decide to sell, your house will have a bigger value on the market.

Green features in your home only raise its value and this type of real estate market is only going to start increasing since environmental concerns are surely going to grow in the future.


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3. Electricity saving

If your green home has solar panels installed, this means that it produces its own electricity which you can use in various ways: to reduce energy bills, to heat water (and reduce gas bills at the same time), and to reduce pollution on the planet.

Having your own little energy plant means less pollution and far more less bad gasses going into the atmosphere, which will provide our children with a better world in which they can live much longer.

4. Insulation

Almost any builder with some common sense will try to persuade you that it will cost you less to spray 8 inches of polyurethane foam in your roof than installing fibreglass batts. But, try to resist and think of it this way.

If you plan on taking home insulation grants, consider that the price you pay today for good insulation will end up paying off in the future with lower heating and cooling bills (which include both electricity and HVAC).

Additionally, if you decide to install triple-pane windows rather than double-pane, your budget may suffer a bit now with the construction costs, but in the long run it will pay off in lower additional maintenance costs – since they will not require much.

5. Initial costs vs. life-cycle costs

And finally, if you plan to build a green, energy-sufficient home or upgrade it to one, you should consider the initial investment you are prepared to pay now and the benefits of those systems in the future.

True, they may seem higher now, but they are a better long-term option since they tend to pay off in 4.5 to 5 years, according to Observer.

You should also consider the fact that these homes have better resistance to the elements, fire wind, and earthquake, which means not only that you are going to feel more comfortable in your green home, but much safer as well.

And finally, when you do the math and take everything in close consideration, remember that green houses are not an ‘all-or-nothing’ proposition – if you cannot afford them now, you can postpone installation and do it when your budget allows you to. And who knows, maybe in a few years when people become more aware of their benefits, building costs will drop and you will be able to upgrade your home.