Eco-friendly home renovation is definitely a buzz word these days (alongside everything "green" and "environmentally friendly"). But does renovating using eco-friendly materials and services make sense economically? A CNN Money article titled Your Home: Is 'going green' worth the cost? points out that projects may only cost between 2 percent and 4 percent more than standard construction (although we've read figures around 5 to 20 percent more from other resources), and the benefits are often subsidized with tax credits on the state and federal level, easing the burden of initial investment.
posted originally from: AT:LA
I agree with some of your conclusions, however as with all new movements/trends the consumer as well as the green product advocate need to carefully evaluate items labeled as green before endorsing or buying them. There is a lot of green labeled junk on the market whose principal "green" benefit is the manufacturer's expanding bank account. In addition there are a significant number of products made of trendy green materials, whose durability is not established. Frequent replacement of a product made of sustainable materials of questionable durability, where one made of non-sustainable elements demonstrates indefinite durability is also damaging to the environment.
By the same token, we need to continue recognizing longstanding products and techniques that are nevertheless green, but just not in fashion. For example, why not super-insulate your house and install high performance windows, instead of installing expensive photovoltaics? Increasing the energy efficiency of your home is just as green, if not greener, than installing the latest green gadget, plus it saves you money.
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