Perspective: Does it Cost More to Build Sustainably?

Perspective: Does it Cost More to Build Sustainably?

Yes, it does. But not for the reasons most people think.

It is true that a lot of green building materials cost more than their conventional counterparts, so you can spend more for an environmentally sustainable building. But construction costs do not have to be any higher.

Using space more efficiently, orienting a building for passive solar energy, and using salvaged building materials, for example, need not increase costs. And using materials more efficiently—through advanced framing and reduction of waste—can significantly reduce costs. You don’t even have to spend more for materials. Many green building materials, including cellulose insulation, recycled-content rigid foam, and recycled paper­­board sheathing, are no more expensive than their conventional counterparts.

So why then does it cost more to build sustainably?

Because sustainable building demands a commitment to well-informed, thoughtful choices about design, material specs, and construction practices. To do it right you have to invest in educating yourself (and your crew) about the issues. Ongoing education should be just as much an expense of design and construction as a new nail gun or a plotter. Resource materials, such as this newsletter and the books we review, cost money. So do conferences and workshops. And even for the well-informed, it takes time to integrate the many factors green building involves, and to work with new materials and technologies.

Let’s not turn people away from green building by portraying the idea that it has to be a lot more expensive. But at the same time, let’s not delude ourselves into thinking that it’s free. There is extra expense in being an environmentally conscious designer or builder—because we all have a lot to learn.

–Alex Wilson