Page 44 - Green Builder Magazine Jul-Aug 2021

3. Affordability Hits Hard
BUILDER TAKEAWAY: Become active with local
organizations and your city to start or contribute
to affordable energy-efficiency programs. People at all income
levels should have access to cost-effective (or free) ways to
get their leaky existing homes tightened up. This is, first and
foremost, good for the planet and the homeowners. Secondly,
millennials notice authentic community
involvement and will spend money on companies
(like yours) that are helping to “green the nation.”
42 GREEN BUILDER July/August 2021
While some millennials grapple with deciding what
sustainable upgrades to spend their hard-earned money
on, others struggle just to afford basic energy-efficiency
products for their homes. And, new affordable homes are
extremely hard to find.
It’s not much better with existing homes, according
to Connor Dillon, a San Antonio-based consultant in
quality management, building science and professional
certification training. “My in-laws are doing retrofit work
on their house. To say they have encountered tradespeople
who are price gouging would be an understatement,” he says.
“Seeing something that they are having done be a
300-percent-return-on-profit situation is disgusting to me,
even as someone who likes capitalism.”
Dillon is concerned that while his in-laws are able to pay for
upgrades, not everyone can. “There are a lot of people who can’t
afford to upgrade their houses,” he acknowledges. “Unfortunately,
I am in a city that is not too friendly toward providing incentives like
air sealing, so my biggest concern for people locally with existing houses
is affordability.”
Dillon notes that educating homeowners on the importance of making
upgrades is relatively simple—a case of saying, “You can save $30 a month
on your energy bill.” But encouraging them to make the improvements is
another matter. “They will agree it’s worth it, but they don’t have the upfront
investment needed to pay for the stuff to do it,” Dillon says.
Ronstadt notes that affordability seems to be a “huge come-out-of-
nowhere issue” in the past six to eight months. “It may not be an issue if
you are already a homeowner because you locked in equity from the rapid
price appreciation coming out of the pandemic,” he says. “But it seems that
there is a big issue going forward: How do you provide affordable high-
quality housing in desired locations? That’s what keeps me up at night.”
Start small. Basic air
sealing and weather
stripping should be offered
in every city. This easy first
step helps homeowners of
limited means get a leg up
on their energy bills. This,
along with education,
means that when they have
additional money they
might be inclined to spend
it on energy-efficient
upgrades for their house or
the purchase of a
high-performance home.
CREDIT: RONSTIK/ISTOCK
www.greenbuildermedia.com