With most of us spending about 90% of our time indoors, green building in Austin is the healthy, common sense choice for a better life. Whatever your preference and budget, you can enjoy the benefits of a green building. And lucky for us, Austin, Texas has one of the most successful utility-sponsored sustainable building programs in the nation! Austin Energy created the Residential Austin Green Building Program®. This program rates new and remodeled homes using sustainable guidelines on a scale of 1 to 5 stars: the more stars, the more green features in the home, which leads to decreased utility costs - not to mention the many other green building benefits. An Austin certified green built home meets specific criteria in six areas:

•   Energy efficiency
•   Testing
•   Water efficiency
•   Materials efficiency
•   Heath and safety
•   Community

Austin Energy has additional green programs as well. Their Residential/Home Rebate program offers substantial rebates on attic insulation, solar screens, caulking and weather-stripping, replacing/updating air conditioners, heat pumps, or water heaters; purchasing and installing solar photovoltaic electric systems; and installing cost-effective alternatives to conventional heating. They also have a Power Saver™ Program that offers Free Home Improvements to those who qualify. Check the Austin Energy website for more information.

The State Energy Conservation Office(SECO) offers tax savings for installing solar energy devices and utilizing other renewable energy sources. Visit SECO website for more information.

Finally, the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) website offers a list of links to financial incentive programs in Texas. Check the DSIRE website for more information.

Read more about green building, the benefits of green building or find an Austin Green Builder .