When it was all over, Holt had checked off 86 of the 132 available options listed in the Austin Green Building program guidelines, not counting the 16 basic requirements, to achieve his 204 total points and a five-star rating for his house. “I’ve totally committed my company to the green building philosophy, and I encourage my clients to use the same philosophy,” he says. “I would not build a conventional house if a client asked me to.”

Inventory Insight Just a few years ago, it was impossible to achieve a five-star rating in Austin; simply, it was only a three-star program. “We evolved it into a five-star system as more options became available and [environmental] standards got higher,” says Mary McLeod, coordinator for the residential segment of the Austin Green Building program.

That speaks volumes for how far green building has come in terms of availability. Once the bugaboo of sustainable building, sourcing products at a competitive price is now much less of a barrier.

Holt’s per-square-foot costs range from $110 to $220, and the 5 to 10 percent cost premium he typically incurs (and passes along) to build green is due to a learning curve in design and labor, not products. “I used a lot of standard products that were inherently green, so they were not more expensive,” he says, also noting that he received standard-length price guarantees and delivery lead times, as well. Holt also got price breaks on his direct purchases over the Internet, while suffering only minor premiums for the no-VOC paints and glues he used. “Availability has improved considerably over the last five years.”

That is, if you know what you need. The only barrier presented by suppliers, Holt says, is one of education. “Most conventional lumberyards and supply houses are not very informed [about green building], requiring builders or homeowners to really educate themselves and specify what they want,” he says. “To change that, a dealer is either going to have to be self-motivated or have an educated customer base driving the evolution.”—Rich Binsacca is a contributing editor for PROSALES.