Editor’s Note: June 2021

Dear readers in print and online,

With the midway point of 2021 officially here, we welcome you to the May/June issue of Green Home Builder Magazine. As the nation continues to find a sense of normalcy with more and more vaccinations being rolled out, the need for green has never been greater.

Energy-efficient features are no longer viewed as “extra” or “perks” within a home — many homebuyers expect it to be a given. Homebuyers everywhere are looking for healthier homes, whether it be the installation of air tight insulation, the implementation of low-VOC paint or the use of ENERGY STAR-certified appliances.

Many builders who don’t offer a green product might be asking themselves, “where do I begin?” In this month’s issue, we have a number of organizations that are well-represented that could point you in the right direction.

Brandon Bryant, the chairman of the National Association of Home Builders’ Sustainability and Green Building Subcommittee, delivers a column diving into how geothermal can allow residents to appreciate the sounds of nature on top of being highly energy-efficient. Additionally, we also have USGBC-LA Board Chair Christine Harada giving her take on how Biden’s American Jobs Plan is a win for the green building industry. Diving deeper, Joe Emerson from the Zero Energy Project explains how builders could sell the idea of “Zero” to anybody.

Architects are also well-represented in this issue, as some of the main themes included in this issue are exteriors, curb appeal and outdoor living. This month, we have contributions from Danielian’s Cassie Cherry, KTGY’s Jonathan Boriack and Building Construction Group’s Scott Hamilton Harris.

We also have a very special guest for this month’s featured interview in the form of The Energy and Environmental Building Alliance’s (EEBA) CEO Aaron Smith, who gives our readers his take on the current status of the green building industry, while also filling us in on EEBA’s functions and defining what a high-performance home really is.

“We say this word, ‘high-performance homes,’ but what does that really mean? It’s pushing toward zero energy, zero carbon, healthier, more resilient homes,” Smith said.

We hope you enjoy this month’s issue and can pick up a few things from our qualified contributors. Huge thanks to everybody that helped bring this issue to life — it was a pleasure to put it together.

As always, if you have any news or projects you’d like us to know about, feel free to send me an email at brian@builder.media.

Cheers,