Environmental Leader

Lennar and KB Home, two prominent national home builders, have launched energy and water-efficient home lines that they are marketing as “green,” reports EcoHome Magazine.

Lennar’s launch of its energy-efficient PowerSmart line is designed to save up to 40 percent on energy use. The homes are built to Energy Star for Homes standards and the Environments for Living Certified Green standard.

KB Home, meanwhile, is certifying all its Northern California home communities to GreenPoint Rated standards, which is a third-party certification program from Build It Green, a green building program.

The GreenPoint rating is said to be broader and more stringent than California’s Title 24.

The rating encompasses efficiency in energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions and water use.

KB Home is installing Energy Star appliances, energy efficient HVAC systems, water-conserving irrigation and home foundations that utilize recycled content.

KB’s PowerSmart homes will come with a DOE EnergySmart home scale rating to illustrate the efficiency of the home and the savings impact on the electric bill.

The green building sector could get a shot in the arm as legions of Baby Boomers ease into retirement. While survey respondents indicate a desire for more green homes, there is a disconnect between desire and willingness to pay.

About 37 percent of potential buyers said they wanted an “environmentally friendly” home but just 12 percent said they would pay extra for one, according to the survey “55+ Housing: Builders, Buyers, and Beyond.”