September 2023 – Featured in the Seattle Times
Q: We’ve been shopping for homes, and a few we’ve looked at were 5-star Built Green certified. We were curious what that really means and if it’s worth considering when choosing a home. Can you help?
A: As the world grapples with the pressing challenges of climate change, the construction industry is undergoing a paradigm shift toward sustainable practices. At the heart of this movement lies residential construction, where the choices we make today will reverberate in decades to come. Washington state, renowned for its commitment to environmental innovation, has become a pioneering hub of sustainable homebuilding.
In this pursuit, the distinction between a conventional code-built home and a 5-star Built Green home (the highest certification level) is illuminating a path toward a greener future. Though the upfront financial costs between the two differ, the existential costs and benefits are too big to ignore.