BUILT GREEN
The Burnstead Companies and their affiliate companies recognize that for the building industry to sustain itself, it must find increasingly more efficient and creative ways to provide homes for a growing population without sacrificing the environment and the community's quality of life. Built Green™ is a program created by the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties. The program is leading a recent movement in residential homebuilding to reduce the environmental damage that can be caused by construction.

Built Green™ is a network of individuals who are involved in the new home industry who are working together to improve the quality of life both for the environment and for its residents in King and Snohomish Counties. The Built Green™ program accomplishes this by using a menu of options that provide quality homes, which are more cost-effective to own and operate, healthier, safer, and more protective of our beautiful Puget Sound environment.

To qualify in the program, houses are assessed according to the specific criteria on the Built Green ™ Checklist, which includes Green Building Codes, site and water protection, energy efficiency, health and air quality, materials efficiency and environmentally responsible home ownership. Qualifying homes must include at least a minimum number of these options. After reviewing the completed checklist provided by the builder, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties publish a 1-, 2-, or 3-star rating for the project.

Owning a Built Green™ home offers endless benefits for the homeowners: cost effectiveness (homes are built to be energy efficient, so homeowners lower monthly utility bills and cut down on maintenance and replacement costs), comfort and health (healthier paints and finishes are used to improved indoor air quality), low maintence (Durable exterior covers and roofing materials reduce maintenance and replacement costs), special financing (“green" financing increases your purchasing power by allowing you to add upgrades to your home, or purchase a larger home, than would be possible under a conventional mortgage).

Furthermore, purchasing a Built Green™ home will make a positive, long-term effect on the environment in crucial ways, such as utilizing recycled materials, conserving water, protecting natural features, preventing erosion and improving water quality.

For more information visit www.builtgreen.net or stop by Issaquah Highland’s Idea Home, opening this spring! This innovative home will include all of the criteria required to receive the Built Green™ 3-star designation and will be an example of the new homes of our future.