Challenges of Green Residential Development: Resistance to Change Intro

It all begins with education. Consumer awareness on green building is murky. To put it succinctly it is as clear as mud to most. If you ask anybody what going green means to them, they will likely respond, "environmentally friendly, using clean energy, conserving resources." But if you ask somebody how to build a green home you will generally find yourself confronting a blank stare.

The relationship between local government and residents is also strained and confused. In many areas, neither have the know-how on what green really is except perhaps what they have read in the paper or seen on TV. Thus local government struggles with how to start or where to begin. For example, should government mandate that all homes must have solar panels or should the consumers demand it up front due to the dramatic rise in energy prices? This is just a simple example of what communities are confronted with when considering going green.

Groups have been formed in recent years such as the green building council which has introduced building standards for going green and efficient "green building practices." This has now coined a well-known name called LEED. Many other organizations have followed suit and are forming organizations to help consumers and policy-makers alike to sort through the prodigious amount of information and products available to create efficient and cost-effective green building systems. The goal is to produce buildings that consume no more energy than they produce by the year 2025.

As it is, I am aware of one community in my local region that understands the pitfalls and challenges confronting green development. Aside from all this spit-fire the developer has managed to make green happen affordably and competitively. Visit coyote creek estates for more information.

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