Going Green Grows Up

Built Green Program Expanding Reach and Increasing Support 
By Joe Reid

This year promises to be one of change and progress for the Built Green program in Colorado. Officials are eagerly anticipating an expansion of the popular building program from home construction to community development, while a group of high-profile companies is providing the financial backing and leadership needed to solidify the program's foundation.

The Built Green effort is all about leadership, according to John Kurowski of Kurowski Development Co., one of the founders of the program and arguably its most ardent supporter.

"I've always said, if we as an industry don't take a leadership role, somebody else will do it," he said.

In January 2000, Built Green Colorado announced its transition from being primarily funded by the Governor's Office of Energy Management and Conservation to becoming the first privately funded statewide green building program in the country.

Led by Kurowski, a small group of industry leaders set out to bridge the funding gap for Built Green Colorado and to assure funding through 2002. The result: the Built Green Industry Leaders.

"This group has done an incredible job-and with an unselfish effort-to keep this program going here," said Kurowski.

First to contribute to the effort was Xcel Energy (formerly Public Service Co. of Colorado), which has been involved with the program since 1994 as one of its founding members. Through the program, Xcel Energy will further strengthen its energy efficiency message to home builders and homebuyers while encouraging the use of renewable energy sources.

"We want to be energy conscious, and we want our customers to use energy wisely, so anything we can do to help increase awareness of energy conservation is the way we want to go," said Larry Jaramillo of Xcel Energy.

"This is our way of saying, as a major corporation, we felt we had to be a leader on this issue."

Jaramillo pointed out that last winter's troubles in California have heightened the public's awareness of energy issues, and with the summer cooling season fast approaching, Xcel is concerned about peak demand to run air conditioning units. Built Green provides a way for the company to support more efficient building practices that will help manage future demand, Jaramillo said.

"Nearly every house built these days has air conditioning. But if a house is built and located to maximize efficiency, then energy savings will continue to be realized for the entire life of the house," he said.

Along with Xcel Energy, other Built Green Industry Leaders include:

• Colorado Brick Council, encouraging the use of natural brick for its highly durable, low-maintenance natural properties.
• James Hardie Building Products, whose exterior finish products are durable, low-maintenance, and environmentally sensible.
• The Rheem Team, which is committed to bringing highly energy efficient heating and cooling systems and products that protect indoor air quality to the home building market.
• Trex, a leader in durable, low-maintenance decking products made of recycled materials.
• Whirlpool Corporation, a world leader in energy- and water-efficient appliances for the home.
• U.S. Home Corporation, the largest builder of exclusively Built Green homes in Colorado.
• McStain Enterprises, an exclusively Built Green builder with a long history in environmental leadership in the industry.
• Kurowski Development, whose owner, John Kurowski, helped found Built Green Colorado and is known as the national spokesman for the program.

From Kurowski's perspective, the group presents a clear message on the growing status of Built Green.

"I think the message for the public is clear: here is a group of strong, powerful, high-profile corporations who see Built Green as a long-term part of how we do business in the future," he said.

Ann Sullivan, executive director of the Colorado Brick Council, echoes that sentiment.

"Environmental awareness has come a long way in the last 20 years," Sullivan said. "It used to be that doing the 'environmentally correct' thing in home construction meant sacrificing architectural beauty or quality of life.

"The Built Green program is helping folks realize that a home that's good for the environment can also be the home of their dreams," Sullivan said. "Just look at the products represented by Built Green's industry leaders-if you put them all together, you'll end up with the most attractive, durable, low-maintenance, energy-efficient home imaginable. And you'll be saving precious natural resources, too."

According to Sullivan, the Colorado Brick Council chose to become one of Built Green's industry leaders for two reasons: to support the concept that homes can be "good for people and good for our community" and to emphasize that "building green" doesn't always means using new technology.

"Brick is the original 'green' building material-made locally from all-natural ingredients like clay and water, brick lasts a lifetime, is a natural insulator, and endures everything Mother Nature dishes out, including fire, hail, wind and rain," she said. "The most environmentally friendly home is one that never needs rebuilding."

Increasingly, the home building community is recognizing the benefits of Built Green and its increasing visibility with the home buying public.
"Our goal is to create a more environmentally sensible home because it creates added value and added comfort for our customers," said Craig Austin, president of Austin Signature Homes.

Last year, Austin's entry in the Parade of Home took the coveted E-Star Energy Excellence Award as the Parade home with the highest efficiency rating.

"The Built Green program works for us because Built Green has been able to increase public awareness in those issues, to create a brand identity that we can be a part of," Austin said.

Building on that growing identity, Built Green is quickly moving ahead on a new venture that will extend its reach beyond the home and into the community.

Work that began more than a year ago is culminating in the creation of a checklist that takes Built Green Colorado to a new level, the development level of communities.

Addressing such issues as reducing auto dependency, open space and density, this new enhancement of the program is designed to give developers a tool for creating communities that meet the needs of growth without sacrificing quality of life.

"This is a natural expansion of the Built Green home concept," explained Doug Seiter, former statewide Built Green coordinator who still serves on the Built Green Community Task Force. "There are a lot of elements besides the homes themselves that have a broad impact-the design of a development, how homes are oriented on a lot, pedestrian access and open space configuration. The Built Green Communities program tries to address that."

The Built Green Communities Program Mission Statement and Objectives spells this out clearly:

"The Built Green Communities Program, through a partnership of planners, developers, builders, lenders and government agencies, will promote voluntary land-use and community design guidelines that will minimize environmental impact, promoting the understanding and acceptance of responsible community design to benefit all citizens.

"Specific objectives of the program include preserving natural resources; balancing open space and density; reducing infrastructure costs through efficient design; encouraging cost-effective, innovative ideas and technologies; and creating diverse housing options."

Similar to the Built Green homes program, the communities initiative will include an extensive checklist developed by the task force members, according to Kim Calomino, director of Built Green Colorado for the Denver metro HBA.

"The checklist will provide a variety of ways in which a development can qualify for points, and a minimum threshold will be set for achieving the Built Green Communities designation," she said. "There will be reviews and follow up to ensure compliance, fees to participate, etc., similar to the Built Green Colorado program."

And the program is going to have a statewide presence, much like its home building cousin, Calomino said.

"There are developers all across the state hoping to utilize the checklist, even though it was originally conceived as primarily applicable to the metro area," she said.

Village Homes is one company that is working closely on the development of the Built Green Communities effort.

"We're excited about the possibilities of the Built Green Communities program," said Village's Matt Osborn, who serves on the communities task force.

"We've seen the success of the Built Green program for builders like McStain, and the obvious interest in more environmentally conscious building from the public," Osborn said. "It makes a whole lot of sense to carry over those principles to the community development side of the equation."

For Kurowski, Built Green communities is another way the building industry can provide leadership in the important areas of growth, resource use and efficiency.

"We can create a venue that says, there is a better way to build a community, a way that has a direct and positive impact on the use of energy and resources," Kurowski said.

"I firmly believe that this industry is a better champion of solving problems than government, and if we don't do it, if we don't act as the leaders in this, then we will find ourselves in a crisis," he added.

"We have got to begin doing things with an outlook of 25, 50, even 100 years, not just looking 1 or 2 years out," Kurowski said. "Built Green Communities will help us think in the longer term.

"Is it easy? No. But our goal is to get people looking in that direction."

2008 Built Green Colorado

Home Builders Association of Metro Denver, 9033 E. Easter Place, Suite 200, Centennial, CO 80112
(303) 778-1400 fax: (303) 733-9440  info@builtgreen.org

Last Updated: 04/10/2004