The last decade has witnessed one of the biggest, fastest new home building booms on record. Although most of these homes were of the cookie-cutter variety, there are more and more construction companies starting to specialize in green, sustainable homes. This is especially true in areas like Austin, Texas, where the local utility company, Austin Energy, subsidizes energy-efficient construction, and local residents are willing to pay extra for these building features. 

One of Austin’s leading companies in this area is the aptly-named Green Builders, Inc. The company was recently awarded an Energy Star accreditation, and also announced that its homes are built to the stringent Green Building standards set by the National Association of Home Building (NAHB).

The features of the homes in compliance with NAHB's Green Building guidelines include: lot design prep and development; resource efficiency; energy efficiency; water efficiency; indoor environmental quality; operation, maintenance and homeowner education; and, minimal global impact.

Some of the specific design features of the Green Builders' homes are large overhangs to shade windows, tinted window panes that prevent air infiltration, and expanding foam to insulate the walls. In addition to the architecture, the builders use materials – counters, paint, furniture, and accents – that support environmentally-conscious suppliers.

The Green Builders homes in Georgetown, just north of Austin, start around $250,000, a price comparable to other homes in the neighborhood. In this video, you can see a quick tour of the homes, and hear more about their designs.