Not surprisingly, “green” has been a big buzz word throughout the entire Builders’ Show. Just about every booth I’ve visited has made mention of some sort current or future green product or even product lines. Obviously this is good news, but at the same time, we shouldn’t be throwing ourselves an environmentally friendly party just yet. Yes, “green” design has certainly worked its way into the national conscious, but will it actually become a permanent and dominant fixture in the home during the coming years? An educational seminar at the Builders’ Show entitled “Home of the Future” touched on the subject of “green” design, as a survey conducted by Better Homes and Gardens indicated that a significant majority of people said they plan on incorporating “green” elements into their home. But during that same seminar, a survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) was also discussed. And their survey found that the majority of people are not willing to pay an extra cost for “green” products, and if they are going to pay extra, they would be willing to pay up to $5,000 more for a product if it saved them $1,000 annually on various utility bills.

So which survey should you believe? It’s hard to say. Manufacturers are certainly making a stronger push for “green” products, which should result in more people buying those products. But I believe that when it comes to consumers making a truly “green” product push in the home, it will mostly come down to how much green they have to spend doing it.