Going Green with Natural Lighting

[missmanors]

Consumers want to go green, not only in new construction, but also in remodeling their existing homes. This can also be a plus when trying to sell a flip. If you consider the "green aspect" of your renovating for a flip, you can often sell it much more quickly.

"The only way to bring green into 120 million existing households is through remodeling," says NAHB Remodelers Chair Mike Nagel, CGR, CAPS, a remodeler from Chicago. "Americans spent over $230 billion in 2006 in home remodeling, with energy efficient and sustainable products representing an increasing share of the market," he says.

And the U.S. Green Building Council cites a 2007 McGraw-Hill report that shows a growing market for green homebuilding and green renovation, even during a downturn in the housing market at large - and maybe even largely because of that downturn. Many remodelers today say that their clients are more interested in options and upgrades that address indoor air quality and energy efficiency.

Steve Alfaro, trade business development manager with VELUX America, says that kitchens and bathrooms, always high on homeowner remodeling lists, are logical candidates for natural lighting and ventilation upgrades. "They, along with laundry rooms, have more moisture and higher humidity levels than other areas of the home and are among the most popular locations for venting skylights. And more natural light is always welcomed where clothes are being sorted by color," he says.

Alfaro says that energy-efficient skylights are being used to a greater degree in remodeling, as well as in new construction, to provide more natural light and ventilation.

In areas where traditional skylights aren't needed or won't fit, VELUX Sun Tunnel skylights can bring passive natural light into hallways, closets, smaller interior baths and other areas of the home. Less expensive in many cases than traditional skylights, they can be installed in a morning by a handy DIYer and are used extensively in areas of the home where a view to the outside is not required but more natural light is desired. Optional light kits turn these units into 24-hour sources of light.