Led by local architects, contractors, Realtors and homeowners working together to build value for homes in Chattanooga, Better Built is Chattanooga’s homegrown green home ratings index. By providing building standards and a blueprint for high performance homes that lower costs for occupants, appreciate in value because of better design and construction, and reduce the environmental impact of houses, Better Built is serving not just Chattanooga but also the planet.
Better Built program director Brandi Hill says the mission of Better Built is to improve Chattanooga’s housing stock by providing a standard for high performance housing. “We also want to educate Chattanoogans about the HERS index as a quantifiable way to plan for and test for energy efficiency. Better Built homes are cheaper to own and operate, more durable, healthy and comfortable.”
To achieve these standards, Better Built concentrates on five key areas: site planning, which deals with sediment and erosion control; materials and methods, which addresses a variety of issues; water efficiency, which involves installing water efficient toilets, showerheads and faucets; indoor environmental quality, which calls for the installation of an appropriately sized heating and cooling system; and energy efficiency, which utilizes air sealing measures and strives to achieve a low score on the HERS index, a nationally recognized system for inspecting and calculating a home’s energy performance. (The lower the score, the better.)
The result is a standard that provides a solid foundation for green building in which the focus is a tightly sealed building envelope that tests and performs well. It also provides a green standard that stacks up favorably to other methods.
“We do not require the use of particular green products or technologies, the requirements are simple and we provide the training for contractors. Also, the certification costs are lower compared to other green building programs, and the revenues generated support Chattanooga’s economy,” says Hill.
Realtors are a key component of the success of the Better Built program, says Hill. By spreading the word to those who are looking to build, agents can help Better Built provide potential homeowners with a defined pathway for achieving an efficient home.
“Realtors can help us to educate homeowners about energy efficiency. And the HERS index is a great way to do that. Better Built homes have a HERS index of 75 or less. With an average existing home HERS index of 130 and an average new home HERS index of 100, Better Built homes perform 55 percent better the average existing homes and 25 percent better than average new homes,” Hill says.
Launched in 2010, Better Built has 19 homes tracking for certification. To date, they have certified 15 homes, 12 of which have sold. “Homeowners are thrilled to have utility bills in the double digits year-round,” Hill says.
To learn more about Better Built, visit betterbuiltchattanooga.org.