Page 9 - Green Builder Magazine Sept-Oct 2021

Starter Homes Remain Out of Reach

It’s harder than ever for first-time buyers to land an entry level new home.

The nation’s residential housing shortage—now at almost 4 million units,
according to mortgage lender giant Freddie Mac—is having the greatest
impact upon buyers who want small, no-frills starter homes. According to a
report by NPR, housing considered entry level in 1982 made up 40 percent
of all new homes; by 2019, that total had dropped to 7 percent. Although
there is no universal definition, a starter home is considered to be one that
is 1,400 square feet or smaller, with 2-3 small bedrooms and 1 or 2 baths.
One culprit is the swath of upper-level homeowners who are leaving
higher-priced areas for more-affordable ones, driving up prices and reduc-
ing inventory. Others are rising labor costs, higher prices for building
materials, and tougher zoning regulations, all of which discourage build-
ers, according to NPR. And then there are rising land values, the result of
ever-shrinking territories in suburbs and cities, where buyers’ jobs are.
These factors are keeping entry-level buyers from getting that first
home, which can be depressing. “It’s a sign of arrival,” says Anthony Alof-
sin, author of “Dream Home: What You Need to Know Before You Buy,” and Unfulfilled dream. Buying a home is expected to remain a near-
an Austin, Texas-area architect. “It’s a sign of psychological and emotional impossible obstacle for first timers to overcome, due to economic and
security. It has meant a huge deal for this country.”
socioeconomic factors. CREDIT: MONKEYBUSINESSIMAGES/ISTOCK

Hydrogen, currently being touted as a
Study: Clean Hydrogen Fuel reliable, next-generation fuel to power
cars, heat homes and generate electric-
ity, may be worse for the environment
Remains an Aspiration, Not Reality than previously thought, according to a
peer-reviewed study by researchers from
Cornell and Stanford universities.
‘Blue’ hydrogen’s green imprint is even worse than its The problem, according to a report
base version, according to new research. in The New York Times, is that most
hydrogen is extracted from natural gas
in an energy-intensive process that emits
vast amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and
methane. The natural gas industry has
proposed a way to capture that CO2 and
create an emissions-free, “blue” hydro-
gen. But even that fuel emits more carbon
across its entire supply chain than simply
burning natural gas, the study notes.
Experts agree that hydrogen could
play a role in energy storage or power-
ing certain types of transportation, such
as aircraft or long-haul trucks, where
switching to battery-electric power
may be challenging. But even if blue
hydrogen was deemed viable, current
Wishful thinking. Hydrogen is not the industry savior that
production methods make it financially
natural gas suppliers hope it is, according to a report by
impractical, the study notes. The report
researchers at Cornell and Stanford.
appears in the journal Energy Science &
CREDIT: HAYMARKETREBEL/FLICKR
Engineering. GB
www.greenbuildermedia.com September/October 2021 GREEN BUILDER 7