The environmental impact of residential housing and land development is significant. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, residential buildings use 22% of the total energy consumed and 74% of the water. Monica Sweere, President of Palladian Homes, Inc. is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), known for the development of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, which assesses how well buildings meet sustainability goals. LEED defines a Green home as healthy, comfortable, durable, energy efficient, and environmentally responsible. According to the USGBC, the following benefits result from the use of Green, or sustainable, building techniques:

Environmental benefits:

• Enhance and protect ecosystems and biodiversity
• Improve air and water quality
• Reduce solid waste
• Conserve natural resources

Economic benefits:

• Reduce operating costs
• Enhance asset value and profits
• Improve employee productivity and satisfaction
• Optimize life-cycle economic performance

Health and community benefits:

• Improve air, thermal, and acoustic environments
• Enhance occupant comfort and health
• Minimize strain on local infrastructure
• Contribute to overall quality of life

Palladian Homes is committed to Green home building practices for the benefit of residents and the greater community. We focus on a number of cost effective methods for adding value to our homes:

• Innovative Design - Our home designs are energy efficient, and compact in size (no McMansions here!). In addition, we offer dozens of options for reducing interior air pollution.
• Location on Sustainable Sites - We choose to build in socially and environmentally responsible developments and use the land so as to minimize each project's carbon footprint.
• Materials and Resources - We construct homes using superior, environmentally preferable products, and minimize waste with our wood recycling program.
• Awareness and Education - We invest time with each of our residents to educate them about options and features that may increase the sustainability of their home. We help them analyze the cost-to-benefit ratio of each option, and advise them on the operation and maintenance of the features they choose.