Local construction advisors
offer homeowners the opportunity to manage their own building projects and
build green. Nick Blair and Brent Gates, owners of the UBuildIt-Parker
office, joined the Built Green Colorado program to give their owner-builder
clients access to the benefits of green building.
Co-owner Nick Blair explained, "Next to the mortgage, home energy bills
are the largest on-going expense associated with home ownership. A 'green'
home provides energy savings for the life of the home. It also qualifies
for energy credits with the local power company and the Federal Residential
Energy Efficiency Tax."
Owner-builders also gain added value. A study by the Residential Energy
Services Network (RESNET) and the EPA reported that for every one-dollar
decrease in a home's annual utility bill due to energy efficiency, the
market value of that home increases twenty dollars.
According to co-owner Brent Gates, the health of the environment is a
common concern in our society. Recent polls found that upwards of 80% of
all Americans consider themselves "environmentalists". Built Green provides
the tools to build homes that speak to this concern, and the UBuildIt
System gives owners the opportunity to direct their own green building
project.
UBuildIt's construction advisors show owner-builders how to use
technologies, products and practices to increase energy efficiency, provide
healthier indoor air, reduce water usage, improve comfort and durability,
reduce maintenance and reduce pollution.
Through UBuildIt, owner-builders can receive the Built Green
designation for their homes by building to the program's standards. Built
Green criteria include an energy efficiency requirement and a minimum
number of "green" options from the Built Green Checklist.