Building a custom new home is a significant cost for anyone, but many people considering building a new house are under the impression that green or eco-friendly homes aren’t affordable.
Unfortunately, this is a common misconception, in part because many people fail to look at the bigger picture of ongoing home ownership costs. Today we’re going to explain why building an eco-friendly home in Western Connecticut and nearby New York State with BPC Green Builders is actually less expensive in the long run, and why the upfront costs of building a custom green new home are more affordable than you might think!
How Much Does It Cost to Build an Eco-Friendly Home Compared to a Conventional One?
Many people believe that a green home will always be more expensive than a traditional home to build. But that fails to take into account that with a custom built home, there are many options and features that could make a traditional home cost more to build. And in fact, green homes often use less framing materials and smaller heating and cooling systems—details that can reduce the cost of construction.
In our experience, the price difference between green new homes and conventionally built houses is not significant: sometimes green homes cost more; sometimes they cost the same, and sometimes they cost less. But regardless of the upfront price, the biggest economic benefits of green building are the long-term savings of living in an eco-friendly home!
What Are the Long-Term Cost Benefits of an Eco Friendly Home?
Because eco-friendly homes are so energy-efficient, the savings in monthly energy bills can be significant. An ENERGY STAR certified new home is on average 20% more efficient than a home that’s simply built to code, and ENERGY STAR certification is considered one of the more baseline green new home standards. Zero Energy Ready Homes and Passive House homes use considerably less energy, and the addition of solar panels can create a home that generates enough electricity to cover all energy use, resulting in a $0 annual energy bill!
In this case, you can see that even if building a green home does mean spending slightly more upfront, the monthly energy savings mean a homeowner could quickly recoup their costs and end up spending less overall on their green home in the long run compared to a conventionally built one.
Reach Out to the Award-Winning Eco-Friendly House Builders at BPC
Looking at the financial benefits of green homes doesn’t even take into consideration all of the additional benefits of eco-friendly home building, including:
- Healthier indoor air
- Higher indoor comfort
- Built to be more durable and long-lasting
- Better for the environment
BPC is an award-winning energy efficient builder and worker-owned cooperative based in Ridgefield, CT that serves all of western Connecticut and the nearby New York counties across state lines. If you’re looking for the best eco builders near you that will not only help build the best green home but to ensure you’re making a smart financial investment with your new house, call our team today.
