Seattle-based consultant and rater Tadashi Shiga shares six lessons he's learned working with the nation's top green builders.
The Evergreen Certified principal has worked with 250 builders in the greenest national market, according to The Energy & Environmental Building Alliance (EEBA), with services and programs covering PHIUS+, HERS, ENERGY STAR, and BuiltGreen certification in Seattle. Shiga's first lesson is harnessing the power of partnerships. Getting the industry and local government working together on BuiltGreen has added to its success, according to Shiga, "I've seen [the City of Seattle] take six weeks off the permit time," says Shiga, increasing green demand for buyers and builders.
Green building is like any other endeavor. Look at a local market and you will see most green builders going about their business the usual way—doing good work but competing with one another for the best jobs. You will also likely see a few companies that have managed to rise above the herd.
The latter companies are the ones who create a recognized brand based on their green building expertise. They're less affected by price pressures and stay busy even when the real estate market cools. The obvious question is: how did they get there?
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