Green tint for Parade of Homes

The Builders Association of the Twin Cities Parade of Homes Fall Showcase will have a green tint this year, with eight homes certified by the new Minnesota Greenstar program. Greenstar is a regional program that specifies green building standards and certifies adherence to them through inspections during construction. The certification helps builders and consumers achieve a common understanding of the features necessary to call a home green.

The program has three levels: bronze, silver and gold. The difference is the number of points earned through incorporation of more features in the five core principles of green: energy efficiency, resource efficiency, water conservation, site and community impact, and indoor environmental quality. A detailed checklist is used to assign points for green attributes; scoring is done by Greenstar staff members and verified by independent inspectors.

During the past year, more than 300 builders have been trained to build or remodel houses to qualify for Greenstar certification. Once a home is certified, consumers can be assured they are getting a truly green home.

The eight Parade homes showcase the wide range of green applications allowed by Greenstar, including those usually unseen, such as the insulation and sealed ductwork behind finished walls that are just as important as fancy eco-finishes. The fact that you can't necessarily see a green feature is one reason why Minnesota Greenstar is such a big step forward for green building. Verification of green features is done during the construction process while the walls and ceilings are still open.

Touring the Greenstar homes offers a chance to gather the technical information that shows how green features reduce home operating costs. And if some of the sexier green design features catch your eye, they, too, reduce continuing costs and might even increase your property values someday.

For a closer look at four of the Greenstar homes, turn to page H8

Builder: Summit Design Build Price: $339,900 Address: 3555 NE. 2nd St., Mpls.

Impressive green features include: 1,411 finished square feet using fewer resources to build and maintain; galvanized metal roof guaranteed to last 50 years; sealed ductwork to improve air circulation and indoor air quality; dual flush toilets and low-flow faucets.

Builder: Lake Country Builders Ltd. Price: $1.15 million. Address: 4115 York Av. S., Mpls.

About the house: This 3,100-square-foot three-bedroom home is so jammed-packed with green features that it feels like an eco-estate. The home that had previously occupied this Linden Hills lot was de-constructed to allow for salvage and re-use of the old lumber in the new house. Many of the rooms have multiple uses. An office doubles as an expanded dining room. Two bedrooms are connected by double pocket doors for conversion to one larger room. Electronics do double-duty as television sets and computers, reducing electric and resource use.

Impressive green features include: whole-house dedicated media on/off switch to reduce phantom electricity use; good use of interior windows to bring in outside light; FSC-certified wood cabinets and floors; drip irrigation system and native landscaping; motion-sensor faucets; closed-loop geothermal heating and cooling system that greatly reduces energy use.

Builder: Shane Homes Inc. Price: $995,000 Address: 2825 Chowen Av. S., Mpls

Impressive green features include: rain barrel roof water collection system; super energy-efficient appliances; locally sourced countertops and cabinets; James Hardie (fiber cement) siding with a 50-year warranty.

Builder: Rottlund Homes Inc. Price: $309,900 Address: 16689 72nd St. NE., Otsego

About the house: At this Rottlund single-family home community you can upgrade to green. They sell upgrade options that can qualify your home for a bronze, silver or gold Minnesota Greenstar certificate. Some green features are standard, such as a radon remediation system and a super-insulated exterior foundation. Other features are optional based on the buyer's wants and pocketbook. Upgrading to the bronze level is typically a 2.5 to 3.5 percent premium above the base price of the home. It makes sense to let buyers decide if they want to spend the additional money in exchange for continued monthly savings from upgrading to green home systems.

Impressive green features include: upgraded air filter system; 96.6 percent efficient furnace (variable-speed motor for energy savings); low- or no-VOC paints and coatings; ultra-low flow plumbing fixtures.