Green Building Gains Investor Status

CARY, NC, April 10, 2013 (Press-News.org) A home's value has long been recognized by its location and quality, but that value is now giving way to interest in sustainable design according to market analysts reporting for NuWire Investor. A focus on development, specifically with refurbishment and new construction efforts that lower operating costs and offer long term savings as the cost of energy rises is getting the most attention. In the Triangle area, this trend is growing for residential properties as well, and the Raleigh home known as "Finding Paradise on Picardy" house is a good example. The house sold within 3 days of a green remodeling.

Last year, John Miller was power of attorney for a homeowner living in a long-term care facility, and he needed to sell her fifty-year-old brick ranch home to provide for her continued care. But Raleigh's real estate market indicators suggested the 2,141-square-foot house could sit on the market for months before selling.

"The house was built in 1963 and still had the original electrical and plumbing fixtures with dark wood paneling," said Miller. "We could sell the house in the condition it was in, or invest in needed updates. We didn't realize how valuable a green certification could be."

Rather than accept a fire sale offer, Miller decided to remodel with features that would significantly increase the efficiency of energy and water usage. In the end, a green renovation enabled him to sell the house more quickly without a loss from the "as is" sales estimate that would have taken much longer to achieve.

Miller worked with Paradise Found Construction on a complete redesign of the kitchen and bathroom with the latest in energy-efficient conservation features, including Energy Star fixtures and appliances, EPA Water Sense-rated toilets and plumbing fixtures, compact fluorescent lighting, upgraded insulation and air sealing measures, and rain-water harvesting. Durham's Southern Energy Management conducted performance testing and validated the efficiency improvements necessary for the home to be certified green under the International Code Council National Green Building Standard . The design changes and green building features were so desirable; the home was sold to a family within 3 days of completion.

"Rather than demolish structurally sound homes to make way for larger ones with larger carbon footprints, renovating them with features that increase their energy and water efficiency and indoor air quality will reduce the overall cost of ownership," said Jeff Wiblitzhouser, owner of Paradise Found Construction. "This is highly attractive to home buyers today as the price to use our natural resources continues to rise."

Paradise Found Construction was recently recognized for the green renovation. It won the "National Home Builders Association (NAHB) 2013 Project of the Year for Green Certified Remodeling."

Tour the House:
The public is invited to tour the house as part of the 8th Annual Green Home Tour, taking place over two weekends: April 13-14 and April 20-21. The house at 5010 Picardy Place will be open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on April 20 and April 21. It's located off of Glenwood Avenue behind the Oak Park shopping center and Providence Baptist Church. For more information, please go to: http://www.TriangleGreenHomeTour.com.

About Paradise Found Construction:
Paradise Found Construction is a Cary, North Carolina-based-construction company, serving Western Wake County and the Triangle. It's also a conventional and green certified remodeler and builder of high-performance Energy Star Qualified and Green Certified homes. The company specializes in integrating cost-effective energy efficient, healthy, environmentally and socially responsible building materials and products, and the latest in building science techniques in residential and commercial construction. Paradise Found Construction is the winner of the 2012 Star Awards for Best Green Certified Renovation by the Wake County Home Builders Association. For more information, go to http://www.paradisere-found.com.