Home builders: It’s getting easier bein’ green

​​​​HOUSTON – A recent survey finds that home builders expect an increase in "green" building in the coming years, citing more consumer interest in sustainability, health and energy savings.

The survey, by Dodge Data & Analytics and the National Association of Home Builders, showed that more than half of builders say 60 percent of their business will be in green building by 2020. Last year, about 30 percent of builders reported doing that much green business.

Other findings include:

• Buyers across the board assume new homes will be more energy-efficient.
• A growing number of builders report that green homes cost at least 5 percent more than regular homes.
• Baby boomers are driving demand for more sustainable building.
• Energy efficiency was the top driver for wanting a green home across generations, with 70 to 81 percent of builders calling this an influential factor for buyers.
• Many builders believe solar and geothermal evergy sources will be part of nearly half of all new home projects by 2018.