This is from the Master Builders Association newsletter. I think it’s an ultra progressive and motivating funding program offered by King County/Seattle Built Green® for home owners and buyers on both an environmental level (of course, the main one!) and from a smart investment avenue. Read on….
King County, Seattle Announce Second Round of Built Green® Incentive Opening Nov. 19!
The King County/Seattle Built Green® Incentive provides grant funding for single-family residential, town-home and community development projects to help offset the cost of certifying and designing innovative projects that achieve a four- or five-start Built Green certification, and meet key water conservation, stormwater management, and recycling goals. Eligible projects may receive between $2,500 and $15,000 depending on the project type and level of green design and building elements employed.
As local governments draw the connection between water conservation and quality, stormwater runoff, and residential development, incentives for the development industry to reduce its impact on the environment and conserve valuable natural resources have become increasingly important. The grants, which will be competitively awarded, are funded through the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, and Seattle Public Utilities.
Built Green is a residential building program that provides a rating system for single and multifamily housing projects, remodels and community developments. The program certifies projects at the 1- through 5- star level based on the number of points a project earns in categories that highlight energy and water conservation, healthy materials, and minimized impacts to the property. Seattle and King County, helped develop the program in partnership with the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties, and value Built Green as an industry benchmark for green residential development.
The King County/Seattle Built Green Incentive was established to encourage developers, builders, and residents building new homes to use green building standards while attempting to address barriers such as higher upfront costs for projects. Grant award projects will serve as demonstrations of high performance, replicable, green housing for the region, and highlight builders and developers who are making outstanding contributions to local communities, our economy, and the environment.
Built Green Incentive applications are due Friday, Dec. 21, 2007. Applications and guidelines will be available online on Nov. 19.
