Enviro-friendly homes a hit in MC

Imagine a car that comes with a built-in fuel card that covers 30 percent of the bill every time you stop to fill up at a gas station.

Sound too good to be true? It is.

But there’s a similar type of product out on the market these days, according to Locust Dale resident and area homebuilder Anthony Clatterbuck.

It’s called an “Earth Craft”-certified home, and Clatterbuck is just one of the many homebuilders in the state that is trained in this type of construction.

An “Earth Craft” home incorporates numerous environmentally friendly building techniques that increase a home’s efficiency, lessen its impact on the environment and lower utility costs, according to Clatterbuck.

Randell Lillard, who recently moved into his own “Earth Craft”-certified house in Brightwood, immediately realized the benefits of the decision to purchase a more energy efficient home.

Lillard’s previous Nethers-area residence was about 2,700 square feet and cost him and his wife Kathy Lillard about $250 a month to pay their gas and electric bills.

Following the couple’s move into their new, more than 4,000 square foot home in Brightwood, the Lillards monthly utility bills dropped significantly.

“And that even takes into account the rise in electricity rates and cost of propane,” Lillard told The Eagle. “It is a tremendous savings, and it all ties back to workmanship.”

“We’re just ecstatic,” he said.

Clatterbuck – president of Culpeper-based Graystone Homes Inc. – was instrumental in establishing this “green” building program in Virginia during his time as the president of the Home Builders Association of Virginia in 2006.

The statewide association recently recognized the Madison County native as the 2008 Builder of the Year for his work promoting energy efficient home building throughout the state. The Piedmont Virginia Building Industry Association also named Clatterbuck as the 2008 Builder Member of the Year earlier this month.
The “Earth Craft” program – which is voluntary for both builders and home owners – includes various guidelines, most of which refer to energy efficiency by bulking up insulation and ensuring a home is sealed tightly, according to Clatterbuck.

The homes are also built to be durable with long-lasting roofs and windows that do not have to be constantly replaced. A longer lifespan means less trash and less costs down the road for customers, according to the Locust Dale homebuilder.

Other suggestions include grinding up organic waste – such as stumps and trees removed from the property – on site and using the mulch for erosion control as well as using non-toxic paints and recycled carpet.

Although the program is new to Virginia, Clatterbuck says that his company has been building homes this way for 20 years.

“This is the way I like to build,” he told The Eagle.

“I’ve always been an advocate of building homes that have low maintenance, are easy to take care of and efficient…I don’t like to impact the environment any more than we have to,” he said.

Besides the environmental benefits, building a customer a home that will save him or her money on ever-rising utility costs far into the future is a huge bonus.
“If you’re a well-knowledged construction worker you’re already doing a lot of these things to start with,” he said.

However, there are still some homebuilders that are not constructing homes this way, Clatterbuck said. His explanation is that they are either unfamiliar with these “green” building techniques or that they “just don’t care.”

However, Clatterbuck sees these energy efficient and environmentally friendly building guidelines as “mandatory,” “if you have a conscience about the environment” and “if you believe in your business,” he said.

Fortunately, Virginia has a “solid base of builders with a conscience,” he said.

An energy efficient home is also a good investment in a changing real estate market, according to Clatterbuck.

“My daughter works in real estate and she’s has found that ‘green’ homes are the only ones selling at their full price right now,” he said. “They’re holding their value up to 25 percent better than other homes.”

As customers become more aware of the benefits of these building practices, they will “demand” it.

“Once customers became educated about the true value of this it will become an industry standard,” Clatterbuck said.

While some “green” construction practices can be costly, there are basic things that can be done for reasonable up front costs, he said.
Extra costs can run as low as around an additional one percent of the cost of the house, he said.

Unfortunately, due to the high cost of land, there are not many “affordable” housing developments that have been constructed using these “green” practices.
“And those are the people who really need to save the money,” he said.

Those who are not looking to construct a new home in the near future should consider the following tips to help boost their homes’ energy efficiency:
*Make sure your attic and basement are adequately insulated.

*Replace single-pane windows with double-pane ones.

*Seal any areas of the home where daylight can be seen through cracks.

*Replace weather stripping along door seals.

For information about “green” building practices, visit the Graystone Homes Web site at www.graystonehomesinc.net.