Features that make a house Green

What is Green?

In today’s real estate market, green is a broad term. In general, a green home will have at least some features that reduce energy usage, improve indoor air quality, reduce water usage and match the Florida climate (porches with flow-through ventilation).

In Florida’s resale market, green largely applies to the heating and cooling systems, which account for 50 to 70 percent of the energy used in the average American home. For buyers and sellers, these are the key features to consider:

• Kitchen appliances, washers or driers that meet the government’s ENERGY STAR standards and use less electricity
• A central air-conditioning system with a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of 14 or more, according to the latest ENERGY STAR standards
• Attic Insulation rated R-30 or higher in accordance with the Department of Energy recommendations for Florida
• Impact-resistant, double-pane or UV-reflecting windows that reduce the amount of heat entering the home
• Water conserving toilets and showers
• Solar energy systems for heating the home’s water or an outside pool
• Landscaping the reduces the direct impact of sun on the building or uses native plants that require less water

Resources for More Information

• U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to sustainable building design and construction: usgbc.org
• ENERGY STAR, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy: energystar.gov
• National Association of Realtors: greenresourcecouncil.org
• U.S. Department of Energy, which promotes sustainability and alternative energy sources: energy.gov
• Florida Green Building Coalition, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to sustainable building: floridagreenbuilding.org
• WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that promotes water-efficient products, programs and practices:  epa.gov/watersense