If I'm going to sign my life away on a mortgage for freshly built house to live in; I want a house that is more than just a roof over my head, more than just a slapped together stick frame with some extras like granite counter tops a solid wood front door, and one tree with 50 square feet of grass as part of my up-grade package! How come these homes cost so much anyway?

I want a house that gives back, not just in terms of equity, but in terms of energy and healthy living. I want a house that I can leave the lights on all night without sweating over my next $200 power bill, or rest assured that the air inside my house is actually cleaner than the air outside of my house.

I think it’s about time people start demanding more 'value' for their money. If you buy a green home that is well insulated (not just to code) but really well insulated and designed with utility bill saving features like passive solar heating, solar power, tankless hot water heaters and/or solar hot water heaters, Autoclaved Aerated Concrete and/or ICF's walls and low-e windows with energy and water conserving appliances, LED and fluorescent lights, and a water-wise landscape design with 'sub-surface' and/or drip irrigation system. I believe the value will not only increase exponentially over the next few years, but your utility bills are manageable, your life is less stressful and you can actually feel great about spending your hard earned money on a house you're proud to call home.

An added benefit is the eco-tech features in your green home actually save you money while maintaining that highly desired luxurious appeal. The standard 'run-of-the-mill' upgrades that builders offer now may give you some decent resell value, but these upgrades do not give you anything as far as immediate savings, only aesthetic properties, which is also important. Going green can be aesthetically pleasing and cost you less to build and less to maintain.

I want a house that looks great, feels great and gives me immediate savings, all the while helping me to contribute to a healthier lifestyle and to make a positive environmental change. The time cannot come too soon for the consumer to catch on that the supply is available for these energy-efficient improvements, all that's lacking is the demand.

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