Comments on: “Green is for Idiots!” A Few Thoughts on Green Building for Home Builders and Remodelers… http://www.nhsalescoach.com/landing-perfect-prospects/green-is-for-idiots-a-few-thoughts-on-green-building-for-home-builders-and-remodelers Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:09:17 +0000 hourly 1 By: "Green is for Idiots!" Part II- The Green Marketing Answers Home Builders Have Been Looking For... | nhsalescoach.com http://www.nhsalescoach.com/landing-perfect-prospects/green-is-for-idiots-a-few-thoughts-on-green-building-for-home-builders-and-remodelers#comment-44 "Green is for Idiots!" Part II- The Green Marketing Answers Home Builders Have Been Looking For... | nhsalescoach.com Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:16:51 +0000 http://www.nhsalescoach.com/blog/?p=370#comment-44 [...] If you missed Part I of this article and are a bit “miffed” about my title, you can get caught up in about 3 minutes by clicking on this link. [...] [...] If you missed Part I of this article and are a bit “miffed” about my title, you can get caught up in about 3 minutes by clicking on this link. [...]

]]> By: Marsha Burger http://www.nhsalescoach.com/landing-perfect-prospects/green-is-for-idiots-a-few-thoughts-on-green-building-for-home-builders-and-remodelers#comment-43 Marsha Burger Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:58:11 +0000 http://www.nhsalescoach.com/blog/?p=370#comment-43 I like to use the term "high performance". Seems to work for me. Marsha Burger I like to use the term “high performance”. Seems to work for me.

Marsha Burger

]]> By: Green Curmudgeon http://www.nhsalescoach.com/landing-perfect-prospects/green-is-for-idiots-a-few-thoughts-on-green-building-for-home-builders-and-remodelers#comment-42 Green Curmudgeon Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:02:06 +0000 http://www.nhsalescoach.com/blog/?p=370#comment-42 The biggest problem with the slow acceptance of "green" (for lack of a better term) building is that as a society we are used to and very accepting of total incompetence in our home construction and remodeling. Most buildings barely, if even, meet building and energy codes, which as a wise man once said, are only a D-. If we only demanded competence and quality, then green building would not cost much, if any more, than standard. If our cars, TVs, or cell phones were as poorly made as our homes we would never buy them. People are cheap and lazy, and need to change. The biggest problem with the slow acceptance of “green” (for lack of a better term) building is that as a society we are used to and very accepting of total incompetence in our home construction and remodeling. Most buildings barely, if even, meet building and energy codes, which as a wise man once said, are only a D-. If we only demanded competence and quality, then green building would not cost much, if any more, than standard. If our cars, TVs, or cell phones were as poorly made as our homes we would never buy them. People are cheap and lazy, and need to change.

]]> By: John Murphy http://www.nhsalescoach.com/landing-perfect-prospects/green-is-for-idiots-a-few-thoughts-on-green-building-for-home-builders-and-remodelers#comment-41 John Murphy Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:44:12 +0000 http://www.nhsalescoach.com/blog/?p=370#comment-41 You are right-on Rick. Value is an inherent characteristic of capitalism and this is another glaring example of why we need to pay attention to what people want and are willing to pay for. If Leed, Greenstar, NAHB Green Building can add value by their designations, more power to them! I hope for their success as I do think that they promote and embrace many smart and important building strategies. On the other hand, our building codes and enforcement are the current channel to advance minimum building standards and we don’t need any additional bureaucracies to add burden to the process. You are right-on Rick. Value is an inherent characteristic of capitalism and this is another glaring example of why we need to pay attention to what people want and are willing to pay for. If Leed, Greenstar, NAHB Green Building can add value by their designations, more power to them! I hope for their success as I do think that they promote and embrace many smart and important building strategies. On the other hand, our building codes and enforcement are the current channel to advance minimum building standards and we don’t need any additional bureaucracies to add burden to the process.

]]> By: Dale Gruber http://www.nhsalescoach.com/landing-perfect-prospects/green-is-for-idiots-a-few-thoughts-on-green-building-for-home-builders-and-remodelers#comment-40 Dale Gruber Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:05:11 +0000 http://www.nhsalescoach.com/blog/?p=370#comment-40 You hit the nail on the head. Designations do not save energy, do not save the environment, & do not save money. Put the good stuff in the project and screw the LEED and other designations they only add cost, not value. Try to tell the government, and school districts that. We worked on a couple school district projects that went the LEED certification way, and it cost plenty for a little plaque on the wall. Our tax dollars hard at work. Dale You hit the nail on the head. Designations do not save energy, do not save the environment, & do not save money. Put the good stuff in the project and screw the LEED and other designations they only add cost, not value. Try to tell the government, and school districts that. We worked on a couple school district projects that went the LEED certification way, and it cost plenty for a little plaque on the wall.

Our tax dollars hard at work.

Dale

]]> By: Coach Rick http://www.nhsalescoach.com/landing-perfect-prospects/green-is-for-idiots-a-few-thoughts-on-green-building-for-home-builders-and-remodelers#comment-39 Coach Rick Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:06:00 +0000 http://www.nhsalescoach.com/blog/?p=370#comment-39 Jeff, The Energy Star program is a great base for the building industry. It's very straight forward, consumers are aware of and understand the concept and according to a recent poll of 2009 home buyers in Minnesota by the Minnesota Association of Realtors, 35% were "very interested" in energy efficiency as it related to HVAC systems. Only 7% felt the same for community sustainability. I will publish the results next week. Thanks for your thoughts on green washing. Jeff,

The Energy Star program is a great base for the building industry. It’s very straight forward, consumers are aware of and understand the concept and according to a recent poll of 2009 home buyers in Minnesota by the Minnesota Association of Realtors, 35% were “very interested” in energy efficiency as it related to HVAC systems.

Only 7% felt the same for community sustainability. I will publish the results next week. Thanks for your thoughts on green washing.

]]> By: Jeff http://www.nhsalescoach.com/landing-perfect-prospects/green-is-for-idiots-a-few-thoughts-on-green-building-for-home-builders-and-remodelers#comment-38 Jeff Tue, 15 Dec 2009 01:34:49 +0000 http://www.nhsalescoach.com/blog/?p=370#comment-38 The whole problem is that "green" is a largely unregulated and undefined term leading to miscommunications, assumptions and confusion. Educating your client about green technology is difficult if you can't even understand what is green and waht is not. It is relative to the organic moniker which is also unregulated and undefined. Case in point "organic Dry Cleaning" Explain that one to me! Promoting enegry efficiency as being enviromentally friendly makes more sense as a marketing approach all the way around. The whole problem is that “green” is a largely unregulated and undefined term leading to miscommunications, assumptions and confusion. Educating your client about green technology is difficult if you can’t even understand what is green and waht is not.
It is relative to the organic moniker which is also unregulated and undefined.
Case in point “organic Dry Cleaning” Explain that one to me!
Promoting enegry efficiency as being enviromentally friendly makes more sense as a marketing approach all the way around.

]]> By: Coach Rick http://www.nhsalescoach.com/landing-perfect-prospects/green-is-for-idiots-a-few-thoughts-on-green-building-for-home-builders-and-remodelers#comment-37 Coach Rick Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:52:02 +0000 http://www.nhsalescoach.com/blog/?p=370#comment-37 Scott, Thanks for the comments! The Green movement is relatively new to the housing industry. Consumers will tell us (through their actions) what they are willing to pay for and we will provide it (at least the builders willing to listen and anticipate what is important). Scott,

Thanks for the comments! The Green movement is relatively new to the housing industry. Consumers will tell us (through their actions) what they are willing to pay for and we will provide it (at least the builders willing to listen and anticipate what is important).

]]> By: Scott Stroud http://www.nhsalescoach.com/landing-perfect-prospects/green-is-for-idiots-a-few-thoughts-on-green-building-for-home-builders-and-remodelers#comment-36 Scott Stroud Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:24:09 +0000 http://www.nhsalescoach.com/blog/?p=370#comment-36 Rick - Excellent points made! For green to become mainstream it will either have to be legislated (not good) or consumers will have to be educated (not likely.) Replacing 'green' with 'energy efficient' resonates with a much larger group of buyers. Many builders are profiting from EF and are holding off on the other aspects of green until the market understands and is ready for it. Rick – Excellent points made! For
green to become mainstream it will either have to be legislated (not good) or consumers will have to be educated (not likely.) Replacing ‘green’ with ‘energy efficient’ resonates with a much larger group of buyers. Many builders are profiting from EF and are holding off on the other aspects of green until the market understands and is ready for it.

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