DREAM BIG, THINK SMALL! – PART II
This is part II of a two-part run-down of Collier’s green lunch on Sept. 8th at green|spaces. In part I of this article, we explained that most homebuyers want the best price per square foot on the market. This makes perfect sense until we look at it from a sustainability standpoint. So we suggested that the home buying/building process include the question, “What impact will size have on my finances, my family and the environment?” This question helps identify the problems of building big. So in part II, we’ll look at the benefits of building small and what we can all do to promote “sustainable space.”
REVALUING THE SQUARE FOOT
Picking up where we left off – sustainability focuses on the environmental and economic impact our collective choices have over the long term. So the question we must ask – and then answer – is, “How can small green houses become a big part of a more sustainable housing market?”
To answer the question, sustainability advocates can help homeowners revalue the square foot by educating the public about the economic and environmental consequences of building big and the many benefits of building small.
Revaluing the square foot means spending less on square footage and spending more on sustainable design, green construction, and renewable energy. In the words of Wayne Williams, teach people to “Make it as small as possible in order to make it as nice as possible.” In this case, as green as possible.
Revaluing the square foot also involves a major shift in the way homes are bought and sold, built and marketed. Though architects, builders and realtors can encourage and promote eco-smart houses, they can not forge a market shift. Though banks and assessors can be open-minded and forward-thinking, they cannot cause a change in the valuation process. But homeowners can! By demanding more value for the square footage (instead of more square footage for the value).
SO WHAT CAN WE DO DIFFERENTLY?
As a group, we discussed 3 things Collier can do differently in order to avoid greenwashing and better promote sustainability.
1. Have the conversation anyway: At Collier, by the time we get involved with a project, the plans are already drawn. That doesn’t mean we can’t have the conversation anyway and help homeowners understand the benefits of building smaller. Benefits may include:
• Reduced energy consumption
• Little to no maintenance and repair costs
• Minimal environmental impact
• A better product and a better process
• A home that fits the homeowner
2. Watch our language: Avoid greenwashing and make sure we are not calling big homes green. Use language such as “energy efficient” and “whole systems approach” to describe the construction of big homes we may feel inclined to call green.
3. Educate the public: Make the term “sustainable space” apart of the green construction spectrum. Include “sustainable space” as part of our (re)source guide to green construction. Help the public understand that space can be designed and built differently to make a home feel and function bigger than it is. Like with the Madison Street homes.
WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE
The same kind of effort that Chattanooga has poured into incentivizing green construction must also be applied to making small green houses a bigger part of the local housing market. And it begins with all kinds of people carrying on this dialogue – so do you think big can be green?
At Collier Construction, we know that in order to do what is right for homeowners and the environment, it’s essential to have these kinds of conversations and include the input of others – including you. We are always excited to know what you think, so feel free to join the conversation, whether it’s shooting us an email or joining our next green lunch or commenting here! And thanks to Wayne Williams, Donna Williams, Jeff Cannon, Anj McClain, and Kim Ray for coming out to our first public green lunch and making it a good one.
REVALUING THE SQUARE FOOT
Picking up where we left off – sustainability focuses on the environmental and economic impact our collective choices have over the long term. So the question we must ask – and then answer – is, “How can small green houses become a big part of a more sustainable housing market?”
To answer the question, sustainability advocates can help homeowners revalue the square foot by educating the public about the economic and environmental consequences of building big and the many benefits of building small.
Revaluing the square foot means spending less on square footage and spending more on sustainable design, green construction, and renewable energy. In the words of Wayne Williams, teach people to “Make it as small as possible in order to make it as nice as possible.” In this case, as green as possible.
Revaluing the square foot also involves a major shift in the way homes are bought and sold, built and marketed. Though architects, builders and realtors can encourage and promote eco-smart houses, they can not forge a market shift. Though banks and assessors can be open-minded and forward-thinking, they cannot cause a change in the valuation process. But homeowners can! By demanding more value for the square footage (instead of more square footage for the value).
SO WHAT CAN WE DO DIFFERENTLY?
As a group, we discussed 3 things Collier can do differently in order to avoid greenwashing and better promote sustainability.
1. Have the conversation anyway: At Collier, by the time we get involved with a project, the plans are already drawn. That doesn’t mean we can’t have the conversation anyway and help homeowners understand the benefits of building smaller. Benefits may include:
• Reduced energy consumption
• Little to no maintenance and repair costs
• Minimal environmental impact
• A better product and a better process
• A home that fits the homeowner
2. Watch our language: Avoid greenwashing and make sure we are not calling big homes green. Use language such as “energy efficient” and “whole systems approach” to describe the construction of big homes we may feel inclined to call green.
3. Educate the public: Make the term “sustainable space” apart of the green construction spectrum. Include “sustainable space” as part of our (re)source guide to green construction. Help the public understand that space can be designed and built differently to make a home feel and function bigger than it is. Like with the Madison Street homes.
WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE
The same kind of effort that Chattanooga has poured into incentivizing green construction must also be applied to making small green houses a bigger part of the local housing market. And it begins with all kinds of people carrying on this dialogue – so do you think big can be green?
At Collier Construction, we know that in order to do what is right for homeowners and the environment, it’s essential to have these kinds of conversations and include the input of others – including you. We are always excited to know what you think, so feel free to join the conversation, whether it’s shooting us an email or joining our next green lunch or commenting here! And thanks to Wayne Williams, Donna Williams, Jeff Cannon, Anj McClain, and Kim Ray for coming out to our first public green lunch and making it a good one.
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