Q: How will these rising mortgage rates affect our ability to buy a new home?

A: Financing is a key consideration when you're thinking about building a new home. Researching and securing the best loan for your home is no small feat. For many years, we've enjoyed historically low interest rates for home loans. Now there are signs that this is changing. How high will rates go and how much will that matter to you?

I'm not a financial expert, but I did come across some interesting information provided by people who know about these things. Here are a couple of observations from two different perspectives about what we can expect this year. One is from The Washington Post and the other is from Forbes. I'm going to distill a few of their comments.

The Post offers an opinion on what they call good news about financing. While acknowledging that rates are increasing somewhat, they point to the fact that credit is actually easier to get than it was right after the recession. They also point out that the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHA) plans to increase lending limits for 2017. While any loan exceeding $417,000 used to be considered a jumbo loan, that amount will be increased to $424,100. In a similar move, the FHA is expected to increase loan limits from $271,050 to $275,665. However, they do caution that lenders have not necessarily loosened their stringent requirements.

As you might imagine, investment-oriented Forbes had some interesting insights as well. While it's well worth reading their take on the situation, here's a quick summary of their eight things housing experts expect to see in 2017.

1. Prices will continue to rise—but more slowly.
2. Affordability will worsen.
3. Mortgage rates will be volatile.
4. Credit availability will improve—maybe.
5. Supply will improve but remain short.
6. More Millennials will become homeowners—and renters.
7. Competition will grow fiercer.
8. Political uncertainty will be replaced with policy uncertainty.

How high will rates go? Nobody is ready to commit to specific figures. And if the experts at The Washington Post and Forbes won't say, I'm not going to either! So where does that leave you when it comes time to build your home?

Here's my take. Even though rates have increased moderately, financing is still very affordable. Don't let a slight increase derail your dream of building your home and don't be in a hurry. Make sure you take the time to shop around and get the best loan possible.

Stay within your means. Be realistic when budgeting for your home. Don't bite off more than you can chew when setting your budget. On the other hand, don't skimp in areas just to save a buck or two.

Make sure the home you plan to build will fit your lifestyle now—and for years to come. Again, don't rush things. Think through the features of your new home and how they will fit your lifestyle—both now and as your needs change.

Rates are headed up, but don't let slight increases push you into making a quick decision. On the other hand, don't hold off in hopes that interest rates will drop. Nobody sees that on the horizon for a while.

Powell Homes & Renovations is a four-generation Seattle area homebuilder and design-build remodeler, plus a member of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties.

By Sadie Normoyle, Built Green™ Coordinator

It’s that time of year again! The Built Green 2017 conference is around the corner and we have all the latest information for you. 

If you aren’t familiar, the Built Green Conference has been occurring annually for a decade with the aim of providing valuable and cutting-edge information on green building and sustainability. Notable past keynote speakers include Robert F. Kennedy Jr., David Orr, and Denis Hayes. The conference will encompass a variety of topics related to green building, ranging from building science to policy, from post-occupancy research to discussions on equity, affordability, and community issues. This content will be covered throughout the day, which will include a keynote address, a variety of sessions to choose from, lunch, and a book signing, all followed by an awards ceremony and reception. 

Conference Details

This year's conference will be held at Cascadia College on September 14.

Keynote Speaker

The keynote speaker for the 2017 conference is renowned author and founder of Sightline Institute Alan Durning! He will discuss the intersections of green building, affordability, equity, and building policy/zoning. Sightline has been pioneering research on this topic that is not only timely but is highly relevant to our industry. 

Durning is author or co-author of more than ten Sightline books. His current topics of focus include carbon pricing, housing affordability, and democracy reform. In 2013, he published Sightline’s first e-book, "Unlocking Home."

Prior to founding Sightline, Durning was a senior researcher at the Worldwatch Institute in Washington, DC, where he studied the relationships between social and environmental issues. While at Worldwatch, Durning wrote "How Much is Enough? The Consumer Society and the Future of the Earth" (1992), which was translated into seven languages and given two awards. He also coauthored seven State of the World reports, along with Worldwatch Papers on topics ranging from animal agriculture to indigenous peoples.

Call for Proposals

The call for proposals is also open! Do you have in-depth knowledge about a facet of green building? Do you have insight into new trends or technologies? Do you have a unique sustainability story to tell? If your answer is yes, we would like to invite you to participate in this year’s Built Green Conference! Sessions may be lecture, panels, or workshops that are one hour long – or something else; surprise us! Please see this document for more information on what we are looking for and how to apply.

Submissions are due May 15, 2017! 

Conference Website

Finally, the Built Green Conference website is live! Check it out for more information on the conference, how to register, and the schedule. 

See you there!

By Daniel Westbrook, Westbrook Restorations, and Mike Dunn, Dunn Lumber

Q: What are the benefits of working with wood as opposed to manufactured materials?

A: Over the past few decades, there has been a dramatic increase in the variety of building materials available. Smaller, harvestable timber from managed forests, along with technological innovation in the building materials arena, have driven the use of pre-manufactured, laminated, and composite materials in modern homes. This development ensures today's builders will have access to both manmade products, as well as the timeless resource of wood from sustainably grown forests.

Environmental Benefits

Wood offers significant environmental benefits as the only building material that is natural, endlessly renewable, recyclable, and compostable. Wood is the best way to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere because the source of wood fiber is almost entirely composed of this heat-retaining gas. Wood is also the only major building material that biodegrades in a relatively short period.

In today's lumber processing plant, every portion of the tree is put to good use: solid wood for lumber, veneer for plywood or laminated veneer lumber, chips for oriented strand board (panels and truss webbing), sawdust for paper and chemicals, bark for landscapes, and remnants for generating electricity to run the plant and replenish the grid.

Structural Benefits

The structural attributes of wood have been clearly demonstrated by the variety of ways tradespeople have used it throughout the centuries. From delicate, hand-carved instruments made hundreds of years ago that retain their ornate design to this day, to the versatility of plywood and the way it's incorporated in homes, wood has earned its place as a key structural element in modern construction.

Wood continues to be prominently featured as cabinets, interior and exterior moulding, and laminated beams, and can be easily fastened using nails, screws, glue, or bolts.

Aesthetic Benefits

The visual appeal of wood inspires people to adorn their homes with this natural product. The welcoming shapes, grain patterns, textures, and colors lend themselves to artistic use. When wood is enhanced with oils and stains, it becomes an even better candidate for a home's central features, such as staircases, railings, paneling, and cabinets.

Look at Seattle's historic homes, where craftsmen have rebuilt wood-framed windows that were made 100 years ago. It will be another 100 years before anyone needs to rebuild those windows again. Will the man-made products we put into our homes last 100 years? After that same span of time, will those manmade products still be available for an exact replacement, and will they be reusable?

The benefits of building with wood seem endless, from its natural beauty to structural versatility, stability, and capacity to be uniquely crafted. Given our experience working with wood, the advantages and appeal simply cannot be replicated by manmade materials.

Daniel Westbrook is the founder and owner of Westbrook Restorations and Mike Dunn is the president and CEO of Dunn Lumber. Both are members of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties. HomeWork is the group's weekly column. If you have a home improvement, remodeling, or residential homebuilding question you'd like answered by one of the MBA's more than 2,800 members, write to homework@mbaks.com.

By Margo Greenman, 425 Business

With inventory down 25 percent, home values and rents both increasing, and more people moving to the region, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties said the local housing market is struggling with a housing affordability crisis.

"Despite efforts to add more housing, including a rise in apartment home construction in the region, the demand for housing has significantly outpaced supply," Master Builders Association executive director Shannon Affholter said in a press release. "Lack of buildable land and other barriers to new home construction have contributed significantly to escalating housing costs and a housing supply shortage in King and Snohomish counties. Unfortunately, this is making it harder for families and workers to find attainable housing near job centers."

By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

Home Prices Up Amid Continued Inventory Crunch

King and Snohomish counties continue to have less than one month's supply of housing inventory for sale. Our region's low supply coupled with strong demand is driving up home prices. The latest market summary from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service shows median home prices are up 14 percent year-over-year in both counties during February.

The Builders' Bulletin is intended to provide a convenient way to track housing in our market and includes information from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, U.S. Census Bureau, Office of Financial Management and the Washington State Employment Security Department.

Download this month's report:

By Megan Pardi, Rainier Custom Homes

Q: When it comes to the interior design of your home, where do you begin your planning?

A: Can you envision what could be, like a transparent overlay set upon the picture of your current spaces? Don't feel bad if your visionary skills are stunted; most people have a hard time imagining how the transformation of a room layout can improve traffic flow and functionality, let alone learning how the use of color, pattern, texture, lighting, and furniture can better define and even anchor interior spaces for better living. Perhaps some element of your home is simply non-functional or outdated, to the point that you must make improvements.

Seeking out designer expertise and guidance can help you achieve a brilliant outcome with your home remodel! When your next custom project looms on the horizon, think through and consider the following counsel from three of Rainier Custom Homes' most active interior design partners:

Build an Idea Collage Board and Ask Why

Gwen: "During the initial meeting, I always ask my clients to do some homework by creating and sharing with me an idea book on Houzz or a board on Pinterest where they gather photos of style, color palettes, textures, feeling, etc.—what they like and do not like. I do prefer Houzz since it is easier to add comments."

Gail: "I always ask clients why they want to remodel. It is so easy to assume the reason, so it is most enlightening when you hear their actual response. Their answer gives me the initial basis upon which to proceed. I love it when clients pull together idea books in Houzz or create a Pinterest board and, of course, there are always the time-honored pages torn from a magazine. At the first meeting, we always build a list of the goals and objectives to guide us through the design process; it helps to keep from getting lost amongst all the selections and decisions."

A Great Designer Will Listen to and Show You

An affinity and fit between homeowner and project team is the biggest boon of any project! Yes, great design and project success is achieved with detailed planning, documentation, and execution. How much happier is the outcome when you resonate and connect with your design-build team and experience a trusting relationship?

Gwen: "I am very visual and a good listener. Once clients share with me their idea collage boards and I thoroughly review them, I have a perfect understanding of what they want."

Gail: "Technology now provides the ability to create 3D images that are pretty realistic. Renderings are invaluable in representing all the key aspects of good design while addressing the client's goals and objectives, space planning, focal points, colors, styling, perspectives, relationships, coordination, and creativity. A rendering is a fabulous tool to help validate whether that sparkly Art Deco chandelier you love in the catalog is appropriate for your space (or not).

Will an existing element continue to be a feature in your new design?

Is there a key feature, like a view window, fireplace, an important piece of furniture or artwork that you plan to maintain for the project?

Beverly: "I start with an area rug or the larger pieces if I'm doing furniture. If it is a remodel or new construction I start with the pieces such as flooring, cabinets, and countertops first and build from there based on the client's likes."

Gail: "Usually with a remodel project, the client wants a clean sweep—all new. If the home has a view, that drives many of the decisions for the room as the view becomes the main attraction. I always ask—what item(s) are you most interested in becoming the focal point—granite, cabinets, fixtures, art? Interestingly enough, many have not thought about this and we spend time chatting about ways to create focal points. Having too many focal points is a common mistake; people are drawn to what they like in each individual selection, but may not think about how all the selections look and interact together. We start by establishing a primary design element to ground the project and work from there to creatively support it."

This, That, or the Other: the Beauty of Threes

Designer consensus is that you should expect that interior designers will typically bring you two to three selections to determine your final options during the planning phase of your project. This rule of threes can help keep clients from being overwhelmed amidst countless choices.

Beverly: "I like to have everything selected and ready to order before project construction begins. This helps ensure that all material lead times are included within the project schedule and helps to minimize change orders during construction, which helps to keep the project within budget, too."

Project Endurance

Best advice for clients during the project?

Beverly: "Anticipate a lot of visitors to the project. Patience is the key along with trust that your project team is working to complete the job to your satisfaction."

Gwen: "Stay focused and continue to collaborate with the team. I always tell my clients that there is no ONE design solution to create a beautiful space. However, the solutions are more limited when it comes to creating a space that will answer their personal needs. Once we agree on one design, I like clients to stay focused on the design and stop looking for other things they may also like. I would also encourage them to speak out (earlier the better) if they have some doubts about certain aspects of the project. I like things to be spoken out among the team."

Best Outcomes

What makes a designer happy when a project ends?

Beverly: "Working with a great contractor, producing an amazing custom build or remodel, and working with the nicest clients with great taste is the perfect project!"

Beverly's portfolio

Gail: "A smooth, successful project is dependent upon the team the client has hired and the tools the team engages. The best outcomes are reached by finding the best team, which is the first and most important step. Expertise and project management capabilities in planning, services, organization, problem solving, and communication from start to finish are key!"

Gail's portfolio

Gwen: "Design-wise, the ideal outcome with a great project occurs when form follows function! I get great satisfaction when clients come to me several weeks or months later and say that their new spaces are beautiful and a perfect match to their lifestyle. And if during the conversations there is no "but" or "what if" it means that the all team did great!"

Gwen's portfolio

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What have past participants said about Campaign School?

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 "Very impressive and informative. My time was very well spent and I left with excellent resources for my next campaign."

"(This) program is good for first-time people and having others that have been (on the campaign trail) is really good for new people."

Campaign School is presented by the Affordable Housing Council (AHC) of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties and Seattle King County Realtors. This one-day event is open to candidates or those helping candidates running for office. Campaign funds may be used to cover the cost of attendance.

Questions?

Contact David Hoffman, 425.460.8224.

By Jason Legat, Model Remodel

Q: I live in Seattle and want to remodel my home. Where do I start and what should I expect?

A: We hear it too often: "None of the other contractors I called ever got back to me." You're not alone—the Seattle housing market is hot, and subsequently so is the remodeling industry. There are almost more homes that need updating than contractors to remodel them.

To get your project rolling, we have some suggestions for setting realistic expectations, getting off on the right foot with your contractor, and moving through the process of a home remodel with ease.

Start the Process Now

If you want to remodel in 2017, even if you're not planning on getting boots on the ground until December, start looking for a contractor today. Reputable, licensed contractors are booking out months in advance.

Depending on the size of the project, you might get lucky—we take small last-minute jobs, for instance, when breaks in our calendar allow—but most likely a contractor won't be able to start work in your home this month. That doesn't mean you can't start the design process, though.

If you're not sure where to start, doing some online research is a great first step. See who's located in your vicinity and find out what others have to say about them. Great places to find online reviews of contractors include Yelp, Houzz, and GuildQuality. Another smart place to start is by asking your neighbors, friends, and family. Your contacts will only recommend the best and contractors will be more likely to respond to referred clients as they show a certain level of seriousness.

If you need help with layout and interior selections, consider narrowing your search to design-build firms only. They'll be a one-stop shop and have someone dedicated to design. Going with a design-build team will likely pay for itself by reducing errors and miscommunication.

Set Yourself Up for Success

When you call or email a contractor, the minimum information they will need is your name, neighborhood, budget, start date, design and/or permit status, and a brief description of your project. Have these things ready and willing to share. If this is your first remodel, let them know so they can describe their process in a bit more detail. You'll feel more comfortable and your contractor will appreciate that you respect their way of doing business.

Have a Budget

As a homeowner, setting a budget isn't easy. You're either unsure of what a remodel costs or have a number that you're afraid to disclose from the get-go. It's a hard spot to be in, but you should have a number that you are willing to share. On this topic, there are two things to remember: It's hard for your contractor, too, and remodelers are in high demand.

Contractors need to make a living for themselves and their crew. They have reasonable operating costs and profit margins because they have to stay in business, just like your employer. Skilled laborers are in high demand, so getting the right, qualified people on your project isn't going to come cheap. Be respectful of their profession, process, and prices. The cost to remodel your home just one year ago is not the same as it is today. Thankfully, the booming real estate market should help you recover costs if you're planning to sell anytime soon.

It's also difficult for a contractor to recommend things without knowing your budget, so find a number or range you are comfortable with. Be sure you have around a 10 percent contingency fund in place in case your remodel uncovers some asbestos or poor electrical work that needs fixing. Those are not uncommon remodeling expenses.

Remodeling your home is a process that needs to start well before you're ready to demo. With the right expectations and research, it can be a really exciting time for you and your family. Finding a contractor who is a good fit is absolutely worth your time and effort—your home is an investment and should be handled with care, regardless of the crazy housing market we're living in. Find someone you trust and will enjoy working with, then get on their calendar now.

Jason Legat is the owner of Model Remodel and a member of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties. HomeWork is the group's weekly column. If you have a home improvement, remodeling, or residential homebuilding question you'd like answered by one of the MBA's more than 2,800 members, write to homework@mbaks.com.

It feels different here. We're at the office, talking shop. Moving past the acoustic guitar and AC/DC record (yes, record), you get a sense that these guys and gals are doing something cool and modern—so modern, in fact, that the industry has yet to catch up. It makes sense that there's a guitar in the office because this team strums to the tune of their own chords, setting new standards in homebuilding and daring anyone to do the same. Welcome to Green Canopy Homes.

BEATRICE (THEY NAME THEIR HOMES)

We're on the roof of "Beatrice" now, overlooking Lake Washington and Bellevue on one side, with a clear shot of the Smith Tower in Seattle on the other. But enough about the view—we're standing on top of building science. The guts of this home will soon be filled with enough gadgetry to wow even the most ardent tech geek, delivering cleaner air, more efficient heating, and an overall sense of innovative superiority.

Driven by the Built Green® checklists, along with meticulous Quality Control Inspection Checklists (QCIC) of their own, every Green Canopy job site is synchronized via iPads that deliver real-time project management tracking and communication. This process ensures that critical updates are made and that any mistakes don't happen twice. It's all about getting better here, from process to parts. Better homes lead to a better brand, which in turn provides validation for that tree logo on the front of each Green Canopy-certified home.

"That tree logo," by the way, is there for much more than feng shui. Turning residential homebuilding innovation into an industry strength is made possible by Value, Innovation, Beauty, and Efficiency, or VIBE, the way Green Canopy sees it. Their brand is secured—not grounded—by these four "roots," seen literally on the face of each home, welcoming owners and guests into the future of home living. And if a home doesn't meet the rigorous checklists, then it doesn't receive the logo. In other words, this brand delivers.

THE GENESIS OF BETTER BUILDING

Let's take a step back to a sleep-deprived evening in 2008. Owners Aaron Fairchild and Sam Lai had both recently welcomed their newborns, and through their giddiness came the idea for Green Canopy Homes. After trademarking their moniker, they went to work on answering a simple question: Are we making a difference? Heady question, but these guys wouldn't have it any other way. They're looking to create history.

Of course, history is defined by change and nobody knows that better than this crew. They don't throw history out, however; in fact, they embrace it in all its past beauty. Case in point; each project they take on comes with the name of an iconic and typically historical female figure. "Beatrice" is named after Beatrice Simms, founder of Seattle's chapter of Colored Women's Clubs. Each project's story continues long after the team leaves, too, as Lai envisions his future homeowners living, laughing, and growing up healthier and happier inside their Green Canopy home.

After a familial chat with the project managers, in conversation outside of Beatrice, Lai finishes his point on home efficiency by comparing vehicle MPGs to home efficiency ratings. "Hopefully my kids will think about their home MPGs in the same way (as their vehicles')," he says, almost as an afterthought. "I guarantee you they will," quips Fairchild, never one to miss a beat. The attention to detail is strong.

Those who know Aaron Fairchild may know his father, who knew everyone. Aaron worked at his father's bank from 1995 to 2008, refining his financing skills and using his area residential homebuilding experience to put investors in a place where they could succeed and do so without sacrificing values. One day, at the height of the financial crisis, Fairchild decided it was time to enter the real estate industry. Why? Human reasoning can be a tricky thing to grasp, but a simple analogy sums up his thought process: this was his chance to build something beautiful from the crash.

CHANGE WAS COMING

Of course, cultivating said change means planting the right seeds in the right place. In this case, it means building sustainability in the cultural center of the Northwest, the greater Seattle and Portland areas. Green Canopy has sprouted roots in some of the most visible and dense areas of the Puget Sound region, spanning a diverse price range. Built Green-certified homes, like the ones Green Canopy specializes in, now make up 57 percent of all residential homes built in the soil-rich Seattle area. The roots of change are spreading—must be all the rain.

BACK TO THE FUTURE

At the Earth 6 property in Delridge, consisting of six detached single-family units, Fairchild fervently points out features, describing the living area as "Volkswagen luxury," inside the well-sealed envelope construction of the home. Green Canopy projects that go on the market in the low $400,000 range, such as the Earth 6 units, contain features not typically found at that price, and both Fairchild and Lai are quick to point out that they have had help in being able to spread the technology around. In steps the Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC), without whom, Green Canopy would not have been able to build the Earth 6 homes the way they wanted to. The WSHFC has helped builders like Green Canopy deliver deep energy efficiency to homes of all shapes and sizes, allowing lower-end residences to experience the joy of high efficiency ERVs, eco panels, and 230 percent more efficient heat pumps creating compressed energy with the intensity of "high schoolers on the dance floor" (another Fairchild classic), just like they do inside million-dollar homes. In WSHFC, Green Canopy sees a like-minded ally, not afraid to think outside the box and take measurable risks to achieve their mission. In their own words, green innovation within the building industry typically "hasn't been a strength," though Fairchild and friends are working on that.

It helps, too, that everyone on the team actually talks the talk when it comes to living green. Lai literally lives and breathes his product, living in a home he collaboratively designed and built himself. Hanging around the crew, especially Lai and Fairchild, it becomes immediately apparent that they really do mean it when they say they want to change the residential homebuilding industry—whether everyone likes it or not.

Cue the chatter of neighbors opposed to modern "monstrosities" being erected in their neck of the woods. Fairchild combats allied neighborhood fronts by simply sitting residents down and talking to them like the people they are, and giving them some say in what they have to look at every day. The loudest typically direct the majority at these gatherings, Fairchild points out, so Green Canopy gives individuals the option to go online and fill out a survey on features like exterior color and roofline shape, which will then influence the design direction Green Canopy takes. The home is then built according to plan—with slight alternations to paint and slope.

When asked whether or not this is enough to satisfy opposed residents, Fairchild counters the clash with reason: "We hold meetings for existing residents even before buying the property, to talk with them and see if building there (in a particular neighborhood) would be a good fit in the first place. If we think it is not right for us, we explain that another builder will eventually buy this land, and they probably won't engage the community at all."

Fairchild also discusses obstacles within the rebuilding process, explaining why he and Green Canopy have moved away from full-gut remodel projects: Persistent frustrations with an elongated plans review process of remodel permits have in the past delayed projects to the point where they "just aren't worth the trouble," he says. Ever the mender, however, he has recently taken a seat on the MBA board, where he hopes to further influence political decision-makers in our region. By engaging the public and manning the front lines of influential industry committees to squash issues before they become problematic, Green Canopy is winning before nail one is hammered.

Inevitably, when one tours a Green Canopy home, the question arises: "Can you do this for us?" With a few more of those questions answered, things won't feel so different anymore.

Cue the guitar.

Two homes completed by TC Legend Homes last year in Seattle. Many projects in Seattle get expedited permits. One of TC Legend Homes’ next projects is targeting Emerald Star!

By Leah Missik, Built Green™ Program Manager

We know that building green is better for the environment. We also know that it is better for home dwellers – who doesn’t like lower bills and better indoor air quality? But is building green better for builders? To be honest, this depends on who you ask. Some of our Built Green members are avid proponents of the program, but at the same time, not every project is Built Green. Therefore, we work hard not only to communicate the benefits of building green to builders, but we also shape the system to make building green even more enticing. A primary way we do this is by working with local government and utility partners on incentives that reward builders who certify their projects Built Green.

Last year, we certified 1,003 projects, which was a continuation of our tremendous recent growth. Much of this growth was concentrated in the City of Seattle. In fact, last year 58% of new single-family homes were Built Green certified! A big reason for our success is our relationship with the City. Seattle offers priority expedited permitting for projects that are certified at 4-Star or higher. Getting a permit faster is a tremendous benefit in this busy market! On top of this, 4-Star or higher Built Green projects may be eligible for a Floor Area Ratio bonus, which allows for extra height or floor area. These incentives compensate for any added costs or effort involved in Built Green, which can be a hurdle, especially for first-timers. Our track record in Seattle clearly demonstrates that builders find these incentives beneficial (otherwise they wouldn’t be utilized!), and that the city is seeing the return in more green housing stock.

Two Built Green 5-Star homes in Kirkland by Dwell Development and CTL Design.

Seattle is not the only city that offers green building incentives, or indeed, expedited permitting. In 2008, the City of Kirkland pioneered expedited permitting for green projects. Today, Built Green projects that achieve 4-Star or higher are eligible. In addition to offering this incentive, city staff works hard to foster connections between builders and the Built Green program. For example, having spoken with Kim Saunders about her upcoming Juanita Farmhouse Cottages project, David Barnes and Scott Guter from Kirkland’s Green Building team connected her with Built Green. As a result of catalyzing this relationship, Kim made the decision not only to aim for Built Green 5-Star certification for each home, but also to obtain Community certification for the whole development!

Not building in Kirkland or Seattle? No problem! Both Issaquah and Redmond have their own priority permitting programs currently, and both cities are also in the process of strengthening their green building incentives. 

Faster permitting is not the only available reward for green builders out there. Any builder that builds within Cascade Water Alliance’s territory that achieves both Built Green and WaterSense certifications is eligible for a $1,000 per unit rebate. This is thanks to a partnership between Built Green and Cascade. The two organizations continue to work on ideas on how to increase water efficiency in homes.

Other utilities are in the game too! Seattle City Light offers a $1,500 per unit rebate for Built Green projects 4-Star and up that consist of five or more units. Projects are eligible if ductless heat pumps are the primary heating source. Further north, Snohomish County PUD will be announcing a new Built Green incentive very soon!

Queen City EcoVillage by Martha Rose, a Built Green certified community in Shoreline.

Speaking of new incentives, the City of Shoreline’s Planning Commission has passed a Deep Green Incentive Program along to Council for consideration on March 27, with potential adoption April 17. As it currently stands, the incentive rewards builders who are reaching for 5-Star and Emerald Star with waivers of application fees, a density bonus, reduced parking requirements, potential code departures, and more, depending on project location and certification level. This incentive program would be a big support for builders looking to take their craft to the next level by doing deep green.

This is already a long list of incentives, but we’re not done yet! Built Green is constantly working with its partners to figure out how to increase green building in the region. Snohomish County and Bellevue are both looking at programs that would benefit green builders through some manner of cost reductions, flexibility gain, and/or marketing support.

Why are so many cities and utilities willing to work with us? Not only do we live in a region where care for the environment is a strong value, but also because our partners understand that these incentives are a win/win. Clearly, incentives are good for the builders and Built Green. But, these incentives are beneficial to utilities, which need to increase their efficiency, and to cities, which are working to meet climate goals. The more Built Green homes there are, the greater these efforts are furthered. Additionally, cities are made up of people, and who doesn’t want a healthy, efficient home?

As Built Green grows, we will continue to work with our partners on how to make green building even more accessible. We want green building to be the norm. Please let us know if you have any ideas, or feel free to reach out to your representatives and express why green building is important.