Eco Projects How To Be An Eco Property Developer

Date Published:

30/05/2008

Being environmentally conscious is not entirely at odds with the primary function of developing: making a profit. But green developers have to be pragmatic in their choices, and careful in their sourcing to ensure that their project still appeals to the widest possible range of buyers.

While saving on both negative environmental emissions and money in the long run, green measures can initially be expensive to put in place. As a professional developer you will have to be sure that your target buyer will be willing to pay the costs you will inevitably be passing on to them.

If you are determined to go green there are a growing range of things you can do.

Green Mortgages

What better place to begin than buying your property with a green mortgage? Consult your Independent Financial Advisor on the range of green mortgage products currently available. One lender currently attempts to offset a fifth of the carbon emissions arising from the homes it mortgages through a process of reforestation in African national parks. Other providers offer their mortgages under the condition that the home to be mortgaged fulfils strict energy efficiency standards.

Green Power

Of course, whoever buys your house will be free to chop and change energy suppliers as they see fit, but during the refurbishment phase, why not sign up to a supplier of greener electricity? Most will also be able to offer useful advice in heating and insulating the property efficiently. And simply having your central heating boiler regularly serviced by a Corgi registered engineer will ensure it burns more efficiently and uses less fuel.

Sustainable Power

Solar power can be an expensive option for generating household electricity, but again will cut bills significantly over the years. Solar hot water systems tend to be cheaper and more direct, and make a significant contribution to the efficiency of the house. Likewise, a residential wind turbine for an outlay of between £300-£400 could generate between 15-20 per cent of the average home's annual electricity requirement. Remember that a wind turbine will require an inverter to make it compatible with the local electricity grid.

Glass

Increasing the amount of glass in a property can increase the passive solar gain, and therefore help to heat the home. Properties constructed with a lot of glass, however, will need special ventilation to ensure they don't get too hot.