Groninger Custom Homes builds green and sustainable custom homes in Winter Park, Orlando and Central Florida.
Community Impact is one of the many characteristics associated with green building but it's more of a "feel good" aspect than it is practical or functional. That said, it's important to realize the impact that building and living in an existing community has for the homeowner and their neighbors. Choosing to build or remodel in an established community is considered to be green for a number of reasons.
Sprawl is a term associated with new development when it occurs "on the outskirts of town" or remotely from established communities. Spawl creates the need to new roads, utilities, retail services and even schools. From this point of view, choosing to live in an already established community is considered to be a green choice.
The greenest approach would be to remodel an existing home to bring it up to current day standards however sometimes this isn't practical or doesn't make economic sense. There is a sense of disappointment when a charming home can no longer serve the needs of it's occupants however we don't feel quite so bad when it's replaced by a home that's built with a relationship to the community, especially when it's green.
Shopping locally is considered to be green. It saves on travel expenses and supports nearby businesses. Walking to school or the corner market binds people with the community. Many small businesses are often owned or run by people that also live in the community. There's an extra sense of pride that comes from doing business with someone you know and realizing that each of you cares about the other.
Little is more meaningful and personal than a home, and the experience of designing and building your own home should be rewarding and enjoyable. Choosing a builder is difficult. The process of designing and building a home involves numerous decisions about components, systems and services selected from criteria that includes price, quality, appearance and performance. How can you possibly understand everything unless the builder is willing to share all of the information?
Allow us to introduce you to The GCH Way of building your next home. Please let us know if you have any questions. Keith Groninger