More of the nation’s apartments and condos are going green as multifamily builders and developers respond to growing consumer interest in sustainable building practices, according to a recent survey by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). While a majority of the survey respondents – 74 percent – said that buyers and renters are willing to pay more for green amenities, the median additional amount they are willing to pay is only about two percent.
Pictured left is Oakland Park, which is a prime example of a new condo development that has incorporated sustainable building practices. Oakland Park is the first LEED-certified multifamily housing project in Atlanta, and has begun a trend for the city.
In the NAHB survey, which polled multifamily builders and developers nationwide on their green building practices, 89 percent of respondents reported that they are installing energy- efficient appliances and lighting in their multifamily communities. The survey also found that:
- 79 percent are using windows with Low-E glass
- 64 percent are using recycled and recyclable products
- 50 percent are using significantly more insulation than required by the building code – a number that rises to 70 percent of West Coast respondents.
The National Association of Home Builders has submitted a voluntary Green Building Standard to the American National Standards Institute to enable builders and remodelers of single-family and multifamily residences to obtain independent, third-party certification of their green construction work.
