Successful projects of this type require the commitment and cooperation of government agencies, industry, developers, and private citizens. Gary VandDerSlice, a geologist and natural resources program manager for Eneco Tech, believes that more progressive developments occur when government regulations and incentives have been adopted to set up codes that protect the environment and encourage developers to adopt specific site plans, landscape designs, and infrastructure. Such groups offer guidelines, checklists, and other resources to architects, developers, builders, and consumers. Successful programs also must involve government agencies and the community. That requires extensive education and marketing about the benefits of buildings that use less energy and water and reduce costs for both builders and consumers.
Incentives are also useful.
This past June, Fannie Mae, the largest secondary mortgage lender in the country, launched initiatives that include pilot programs offering incentives to consumers and builders. Affected communities actively market their projects. As a result, consumers are becoming more aware of the benefits of buying and maintaining green homes that require less heating and cooling and use less water. For homeowners, that translates into paying substantially less for utilities, in addition to promoting the overall environmental good. They also report that energy-efficient homes maintain their resale value.