by Vikki Goodwin

1) Most people like the idea of saving money.  Building green helps you do that by increasing the efficiency of your home.  Green builders can do many things to make a home energy efficient, from installing solar-electric panels, to providing the best insulation possible.

2) By building green, homeowners can also conserve water in a number of ways.  Some homes in Dripping Springs use rain water harvesting to provide indoor water, but for most people, harvesting water is most useful for outdoor landscaping.

3) For health reasons, some people choose to exclude VOC materials (Volatile Organic Compounds).

4) Building green helps conserve the earth’s resources by encouraging the use of easily renewable resources like bamboo for flooring and other woods approved by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

5) Green building incorporates many popular building features such as covered patios and the preservation of trees on lots.