Summary
An increased transition toward green building construction in other states beyond California, as well as state and federal legislation in support of alternative and/or efficient energy sources such as compact fluorescent lamp, light emitting diode technology, solar, and geothermal energy, and national energy grid enhancements will lead to improved American energy efficiency, energy independence, environmental standards and green job creation, including industrial carbon emissions regulation, to reduce the impact or avoid future recessions such as the current one, which began in December 2007.
Analysis
Baltimore County, MD Spencer's Crossing designed by BUILDERS One joins the Clarum Homes subdivision in Danville, California in receiving a LEED Gold rating by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for the respective construction firm’s ten zero energy homes. LEED is an internationally recognized certification system that rates how well a building or community performs with respect to critical metrics such as: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and efficient utilization of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.
The Clarum homes are outfitted with Sharp solar power systems between 3.8 – 5kW. In addition to the Sharp solar arrays, the Clarum homes incorporate many energy efficient design principles, making it a particularly unique establishment in this region. The most progressive features of the homes include the combination of solar power and solar thermal units, 10” structural insulated wall panels and an advanced ventilation system.
It is expected that by incorporating solar and other energy efficiency features into these homes, homeowners will save as much as ninety percent or more on their utility bills. Amidst the recent record low real estate market trends, sustainability in housing is an attribute that truly differentiates a house from the overall abundant inventory, especially for clients interested in green construction.
These LEED Gold certified Clarum homes, two tiers above basic certification, feature an attractive, Sharp OnEnergyTM solar power system, which is more aesthetically-appealing than typical systems, that enable homeowners to generate clean, renewable electricity and return additional unused power back to the grid.
With the federal tax credit, which offsets a third of the cost, which was not disclosed but usually averages approximately $25,000, the 15% state rebate, the 50% bonus depreciation and the energy savings along with the environmentally friendly attributes, the solar installation was a reasonable investment.
Despite the economic recession, the long-term outlook for the solar market remains strong according to most industry estimates. In states such as Michigan, solar companies such as Hemlock Semiconductor, a leading provider of polycrystalline silicon and other silicon-based products used in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices and solar cells and modules, have announced investments totaling more than $4 billion. These investments will expand there solar material capacity by nearly 10 times, while creating more than 1,500 new jobs, in addition to the 1,000-1,800 construction contractors on plant sites daily. Michigan, amidst having one of the highest state unemployment rates in the country, and having been severely affected by the financial troubles and upheaval in Motor City including Ford, General Motors and Crysler, has conducted a serious campaign for attracting new industry to the state through various corporate incentives and tax breaks, especially focused on renewable energy. Arizona is still lacking in that department, but current legislation is hoped to start bucking the trend.
An increased transition toward green building construction in other states beyond California, as well as state and federal legislation in support of alternative and/or efficient energy sources such as compact fluorescent lamp, light emitting diode technology, solar, and geothermal energy, and national energy grid enhancements will lead to improved American energy efficiency, energy independence, environmental standards and green job creation, including industrial carbon emissions regulation, to reduce the impact or avoid future recessions such as the current one, which began in December 2007.
It will be interesting to see how the recent stimulus funding dedicated towards energy-efficient, green home and commercial building upgrades and new design impacts the industry.
