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What Green Building Can Mean to Sarasota’s Homeowners.
Christy Neff has teamed up with a new partner in selling Sarasota – Mother Nature. Neff knows it is possible to create a beautiful home without negatively impacting that home’s surroundings. As an increasing number of clients clamor for environmentally-friendly houses, more builders will respond to the demand by adopting new and improved standards in construction.
“I believe strongly that this is a direction we should all be moving in,” Neff says, “in order to be good stewards of Florida’s natural resources. The technology is available, the products are here and savvy builders have the expertise to build state-of-the-art homes while protecting and preserving the environment.”
The trend is called green building and encompasses everything from site planning, indoor air quality, energy efficiency and water conservation to the use of sustainable building materials. Sustainable simply means that the finishes and products used to craft today’s home and meet the needs of current homeowners can be renewed, explains Neff. By using sustainable materials, builders assure future generations that those same resources will still be available to meet their needs and build their homes without being depleted or compromised. Once the favorite issue of committed environmentalists, green building has a groundswell of followers and is now the latest buzzword in the building industry. Skyrocketing energy prices and violent weather patterns have spurred educated consumers to demand homes that will cut down on electric bills and remain standing in the wake of a major storm. Builders are responding by designing and building stronger, safer homes that conserve resources without sacrificing comfort.
A green home will incorporate such features as wood floors, stone countertops, non-toxic paints and an air-purification system. Attics and walls contain special insulation to reduce air conditioning bills while solar panels help heat water. Better trusses, firmer foundations and superior reinforcement mechanisms create structures that withstand wind and water. New roofing materials reflect heat and sunlight; improved windows help keep interiors cool and will hold up to hurricane-force winds.
Outside, landscaping is Florida-friendly with increased use of drought-resistant plantings and native flora and fauna that does not require excessive watering. Cutting-edge swimming pools use salt purification and ozonation systems to reduce the need for chlorine. Cisterns are back in vogue, to collect rainwater and reduce storm run-off.
“Essentially,” explains Neff, “green building is about eliminating waste, recycling, reducing energy needs, selecting materials that last and planning pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods so cars can be left in the garage and people can stroll to school, the park, the store. My responsibility as a realtor is to respond to clients who are interested in green building and to educate clients who are not yet aware. Green building adapts perfectly to Sarasota’s beautiful landscape."
"We can work together to safeguard what Sarasota offers.”
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