The Greenest Model Home is No Model Home
by Steven Greco on 04/20/10 at 3:20 pm
Did you know that a typical 2500 square foot model home produces approx. 35,000 lbs of CO2 per year? So for a typical model complex of 3 model homes, you’re talking about a carbon footprint of approx. 100,000 lbs of CO2 per year! And that’s just for one community! So what if a builder/developer builds say 5 – 15 new communities per year and decks them all out with a full set of models like so many of them do? Are all those physical models really necessary in order to sell their homes??
What if a builder could sell just as many homes (or more) with one or maybe two physical models and use computer generated Virtual Models Home Tours to demonstrate their other plans?
There are many builders and developers who build condominium and townhome communities and sell without model homes all of the time. In most cases they have to before they can finance their construction loans. Many of the banks require 25-50% of the units in a building to be pre-sold before they will lend. Keep in mind these builders have to pre-sell for 6 months to 2 years during construction depending on the size and height of the building. So if they can do it, why can’t a suburban builder? Especially with the Virtual Model Home Tours available today!
Sure, professionally decorated physical models are impressive and emotionally evoking, (a lot more costly, not to mention the carry costs and maintenance), but if a buyer can still “see” and “feel” the quality of construction and features of a builder’s homes with fewer models, isn’t that better for the environment?
Hey, don’t get me wrong. I think builders have done a fantastic job of building greener homes and becoming environmentally aware of their impact on the planet, but this idea just seems so obvious.
You would think if a builder is truly committed to “going green” and helping to reduce their overall carbon footprint they would take advantage of the technology by using more Virtual Model Home Tours and build fewer physical models. Ok, I’m a little biased, but it’s just my opinion…
Scott
Apr 23rd, 2010
You should probably show the data you entered into the carbon footprint calculator, or else it looks as if you skewed the data to your point of view and your claims and findings become null and void. To make a valid argument you’ve got to show your sources and not just the results.
It would also be nice if you had talked about your steps as a company to reduce your own carbon footprint. Because, these renders don’t magically appear. They come from energy inefficient PC’s running full tilt 24/7.
Steven Greco
Apr 23rd, 2010
Hey Scott, thanks for your comments. You raise two great points, so allow me to address them;
As you may have noticed, I provided the link to my sources under the total C02 per year (35,000) for one typical model home. The data I used to calculate these assumptions is as follows;
Number of people living in your home: 1 (since there is usually a sales person on site 8 hours a day, 7 days a week and not counting the prospects and buyers who come through the models.
Primary heating source: Gas
Number of Household Vehicles: 1
On average, how many miles do you put on vehicle: 240 (which is the avg in the US per vehicle per the eps.gov web site)
Average gas mileage for vehicle: 20 (which is the avg in the US per vehicle per the eps.gov web site)
How much natural gas does your household use per month: $35 (which is about the avg in the US for a household for one person)
How much electricity does your household use per month: $150 ($35 per month is the avg, however in model homes, the lights are usually on 24/7 and the heating and/or AC runs all day. So I increased this to something reasonable.
The calculator also asked if you are using any fuel oil, propane or green power, which I answered no to.
At this point, it calculates “Your Total Estimated Emissions” and the answer was “34,343 lbs of CO2 per year or 34,343 pounds of CO2 per year per household member”
Now to your second point; Yes, you are correct that the renderings and animations we create do not “magically appear”. They do have to be rendered on computer equipment that uses electricity.
However, Focus 360 as a company is aware of our impact on the environment and does a number of things on a regular basis to reduce its carbon footprint. A few examples of this would be, 1) for the most part we are a “paperless” office as 99% of our work is digital and what little paper is used, is recycled 2) we operate our office with the main lights off and only use task/desk lighting when necessary and 3) all equipment is shut down when not needed, including the 24/7 rendering farm.
Thanks for your comments.
Steve