By Carrie Loranger
Madison Magazine
Special To Channel 3000

When you hear the words "environmentally friendly" and "construction" used in the same sentence, do you envision rooftops made from recycled tires, scrap metal mixed into the concrete in basement walls and a rough, second-time-around look throughout the interior?

Or do you think of spacious, comfortable, $500,000 homes with style and elegance from the garage and laundry room to the state-of-the-art kitchen and master bedroom? It is the latter description that Madison-area builders hope to display this month as their association test-drives its new "Green Built" pilot program at the Parade of Homes June 12-27.

Twenty-six out of 35 of this year's Parade builders elected to participate in the Green building program, which was modeled after a similar program in Denver, Colo. To be eligible, builders must meet at least 35 out of 138 environmental building requirements, meet state energy codes and achieve a minimum Home Energy Rating of 86 out of a possible 100. Green building requirements cover every aspect of building, from preserving building site trees, reducing waste and providing clean indoor air to using highly efficient appliances and mechanical systems, less lumber and carpeting made from renewable resources.

Making the leap into the Green Built program was not difficult for most builders, says Parade chairman Chuck Elliott, who estimates that Madison-area builders already practice about 65 percent of the energy-saving techniques on the checklist. "There are quite a few things we do already, like try to protect the trees, keep the vegetation on site and reuse the top soil," Elliott notes.

But many other Green elements have not been standard practice. They include such steps as taping duct joints, centrally locating furnaces, using fluorescent and extended-life incandescent lights and using solar-powered exterior lighting. The program also challenges builders to use environmentally friendly materials, which are sometimes difficult to find, Elliot says.

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