COST

COSTS: Understandably, many prospective clients are concerned about the costs involved in sustainable design.  USGBC studies have shown that the net cost of owning a green home is the same as a home built to the minimum code requirements because LEED certified homes are on average 30% more energy efficient than conventional non-green homes.  The cost to build a LEED certified home is about 3 to 5 percent higher than a home built only to code, but the cost to maintain and operate a LEED certified home is substantially less.  Often, the increase in monthly mortgage payments for a green home is about equal to the decrease in monthly utility bills.

If a client chooses to pursue third party certification, additional fees would be required to cover the testing and verification services.  According to LEED publications, verification fees range from $500 to $3,000 per home.  These costs depend on the LEED performance tier (Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum), its distance from a LEED rater, and the verification tasks (blower door tests, cooling load calculations, HERS modeling, etc.)  Energy Star certification cost varies based on the size of the home and begins at about $950 for testing.

REBATES AND INCENTIVES: There are rebates offered from utility companies, as well as tax credits offered by the state and federal government for high levels of energy conservation in new and renovated buildings. Often these rebates reimburse owners for the increased additional cost of implementing energy conservation measures or upgrading equipment.

You can find an updated list of incentives by State in the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency HERE