Green Home Technology

by Joel Barkman

Green home products have certainly made their way into the mainstream; especially those products that do not come with a premium cost "just for being green."

Homeowners are looking for green products that make sense and making financial sense is only one part of the equation. Understanding the product is the other factor, because we often balk at products and services that we don't understand.

I have only recently started to discuss with my clients the option of incorporating another type of green product in their homes &emdash; green home technology. Like any new technology that emerges the perceived costs involved can deter most homeowners, but the apprehension is beginning to wane as the technology becomes more affordable and its benefits become more apparent.

According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Green home technology can help the home function more efficiently while simplifying the home owner's lifestyle and saving them money.

In general, the perception that green home technology is expensive has been valid up until recently, but costs are beginning to decrease as use of the technology is becoming more widespread.

At the same time homeowners are becoming more familiar with the technology, especially as it is being integrated with mobile devises such as the iPad, iPhone and android products, which enable home owners to manage their homes &emdash; such as monitoring energy use &emdash; remotely. This, too, is adding to the technology's acceptance.

The tech industry is stressing that home technology is not higher priced &emdash; "just higher tech."

More people are putting these systems in their homes to help them reduce their operating costs. For those who may not want to incorporate all of the home technology components at once, I often suggest the option to "pre-wire" so my clients will have the choice to add more technology components later.

Keeping up to date with technology trends and working with an experienced professional in the industry will help to build value into any home project &emdash; especially those who are interested in improving their existing homes.

One of the most popular home technology systems that builders currently are installing is lighting control. I installed lighting control features in my home over 10 years ago and I can say that I am impressed with the advancements that have been made in the recent years and months.

Another technology frequently requested is "daylight harvesting" &emdash; using an astronomical clock or similar programming to operate motorized window shades. Properly used window shades can save homeowners a significant portion of their energy consumption.

In the summertime, shades passively cool the home, and in the winter they are programmed to allow optimum daylight to enter and warm the home.

Energy dashboards and energy management are also a burgeoning trend that some of my clients are using. This allows the homeowner to actively monitor the amount of energy used by way of a dashboard that visually indicates the energy levels in the home. Programming options allow homeowners to monitor their home's energy output and adjust their consumption.

Like any other product or home component, planning at the design stage is critical when creating home technology systems. I have to know just as much about my client and their lifestyle as I do about the technology that we choose to incorporate in their new home or remodeling project.

In addition to keeping up with technology trends, NAHB is encouraging its members to educate homeowners and to follow the National Green Building Standard. Of course, builders should educate themselves first and for this I feel that membership is key &emdash; especially at the local level.

By educating homeowners the industry can build better homes and help drive down the cost of home technology &emdash; makes sense to me, if the latest technology still has you leery &emdash; just "Ask a Builder".

As always e-mail your questions or comments to joel@goldenrulebuilders.com or write to "Ask a Builder" at P.O. box 294, Catlett, VA 20119.

Barkman is past president of the Fauquier Chapter of The Northern Virginia Building Industry Association.

Read Joel's column weekly in the