Mississippi’s House Building Industry Goes Green
Joining the “green revolution”, Mississippi’s house building industry has started to incorporate environmentally-friendly features into new home and building designs.
Jackson-based company, Residential Advantage, is just one of the new breed of home builders which specializes in such field. For the company, building greener homes is considered to be a part of their responsibility to society.
Based on the records of the National Association of Home Builders, there are already twelve certified home builders working in the metro Jackson area. It is thus not surprising that awareness for the environment has grown considerably is the said area.
Of course, there are still some challenges that the local house building industry still faces. One issue is the reluctance of home buyers and even some of the homebuilders to pay extra for the green features. This is despite the fact that the long-term savings that will be enjoyed by the homeowner will outweigh such costs.
For example, if you buy a 1,500 sq ft home equipped with energy-saving features, you will only have to spend around $26 compared to $112.
One way to go around this cost issue is for the builders to look for and use environmentally-friendly materials that are affordable such as fiberglass insulation. Other green features that can be installed are faucets which feature automated water flow and reflective windows and roofs to keep regulate the entrance of light.
Aside from the homes, commercial buildings can also be fitted with these green features such as reflective roof, automatic light control and a new filtration system that can handle and manage stormwater runoff better.
The green home builders also avoid using carpets, toxic pest control products and containers made from Styrofoam. They also prefer using recyclable materials. All these will not only mean a cleaner environment but also a less expensive building cost.
It is indeed nice to hear about members of the house building industry making an effort to be environmentally-friendly. Consumers, on the other hand, should seriously consider buying these green homes if they too would like to join the fight against climate change.
