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US Property looks good in green - 25 June 2009

Eco-friendly homes are a rare subject of positivity in a depressed real estate market in the US, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

The organisation says that more builders, renovators and home designers are obtaining its Certified Green Professional certificate while its National Green Building Programme is taking off.

"Green building is a bright spot in a down market. The growth of the NAHB green programme exceeds even our most optimistic expectations," said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson, a house builder and developer in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

More than 3,100 builders, renovators, designers and others in the home building business have earned the Certified Green Professional educational designation. More than 200 single family homes, remodelling projects and developments in 43 states have received National Green Building Certification, with at least another 300 scheduled for inspections. It will help to propel eco-friendly property into the mainstream, Robson added.

Homes certified in the NAHB National Green Building Program meet benchmarks set for energy, water and resource efficiency; indoor environmental quality, plot and site development and homeowner education and home maintenance. Green building practices are incorporated into every step of the home building and land development process to minimize environmental impact.

Various tax credits for energy-efficient products, like Energy Star-rated windows, and a growing number of state and local incentives for buying green are also encouraging consumers to choose energy- and resource-efficient products and homes, Robson said.

Research by the NAHB has also found that up to 90 per cent of property buyers think that energy efficiency is a very important factor when buying real estate. And 72 per cent of consumers report energy-efficient features in a home would influence their purchase decision.

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