| These days, with gas prices rising and an increased | | | | environmentally-friendly home that's both a |
| concern about our impact on the environment, people | | | | responsible choice and a status symbol, or choose a |
| everywhere are looking for ways that they can | | | | run-of-the-mill house. With some homebuilders |
| become more green. Some do it with recycling, some | | | | struggling to find a market for new construction, you |
| do it by buying a hybrid car, and still others do it with | | | | can bet that in the coming years green will be more |
| a new trend: green housing. Green housing is a | | | | than a color. It will become a driving force in the |
| technique that uses sustainable building materials and | | | | home construction community. |
| energy-efficient design. It's all about reducing our | | | | Since insulated concrete forms are commonly used in |
| environmental impact, and that's a good thing. For | | | | green building, the Fresno precast concrete market |
| California cities like Sacramento, this increased | | | | may see a spike as green building becomes more and |
| emphasis on green building has paid off in a reduced | | | | more common. In general, California is progressive |
| carbon footprint, according to the Brookings | | | | when it comes to environmental issues, so it makes |
| Institution. Part of this was due to more green | | | | sense that cities like Fresno are showing an early |
| housing, which in turn has a big impact on building | | | | demand for this sort of product. Solar panels, |
| materials market, including lumber and Sacramento | | | | efficient heating and cooling systems, built-in kitchen |
| precast concrete suppliers. The green features in | | | | recycling, and on-site construction recycling are just a |
| large urban developments helped push Sacramento | | | | few of the areas that the green building revolution |
| towards the top of the list. And with green becoming | | | | takes the environment into account. And a green |
| more and more popular by the day, this trend is | | | | house doesn't just impact the environment less on |
| expected to continue. | | | | the front end. With lower energy consumption, a |
| Consumers are beginning to take notice. Even in | | | | green home reduces its impact for years and years |
| areas where house sales overall have slowed, green | | | | to come. Hopefully the day will come when green |
| houses can sell quickly, and sometimes at a premium. | | | | housing will no longer exist: every house will be green, |
| For instance, the San Jose precast concrete market | | | | so there will be no reason to have a special name for |
| is helped some by the green housing demand. For | | | | it. Until then, green builders will continue delight |
| those who have money to spend, the decision is | | | | customers intent on being responsible environmental |
| easy: pay a bit more for a more energy-efficient and | | | | citizens. |