With the big chin wag going on in Copenhagen about (take your pick): 1: Global warming; 2: Climate change, or; 3; Climategate conspiracy theories, it is timely to address what new home builders are doing to be eco-friendly.

A report commissioned by the Canadian Home Builders Association awhile back showed energy consumption as a whole in Canada increased 21% between 1990 and 2006, and yet green house gas emissions in the residential sector decreased 8.5% in the same period.

The decrease came despite a 29% increase in housing stock across the country, reflecting a 19% decrease in energy consumption per home.

These improvements in efficiencies have come about largely because builders have chosen to be proactive when it comes to the environment rather than wait for regulations and one of the most successful voluntary initiatives originated in Calgary.

Built Green was brought to the province by David Bengert and Jay Westman of Jayman MasterBuilt after seeing a similar program in Denver.

“We found the program in Denver but brought only the name to Alberta,” says Bengert, Jayman’s director of purchasing and president of the Built Green Society of Canada, a non-profit organization.

“The program we launched was written here and then later Built Green Colorado actually copied some of it.”

The program involves a checklist that includes an energy-efficient requirement for each home, with a variety of options buyers can include in their new homes to determine the level of efficiency, measured in four levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

The options will add to the cost of a home upfront, but reduce energy consumption and costs “A home may be a little more expensive, but not substantially, especially at the entry levels,” says Bengert. “As you move up, costs increase and today, to get to the top level, you might be looking at $10,000 to $12,000 to get to that.

“As a result of that, in terms of the mortgage, it is about $40 a month extra.”

Potential savings are demonstrated to buyers.

“We can show customers on a home-by-home basis,” says Bengert. “Generically speaking, we can say a house such-and-such a size will save you X amount of money monthly.”

Since its rollout in Alberta, Built Green has been embraced by builders in B.C. as well with about 12,000 homes in both provinces registered to the end of October this year.

It all comes down to a concern for the environment, proper use of resources and, ultimately, the pocketbook.

“Everyone today wants to do the right thing, but everyone has a price attached to that commitment,” says Bengert. “Any Built Green home is going to cost you less (to operate) than a non-Built Green home and it shows, without question, with Built Green being a voluntary initiative, as an industry, home builders are ahead of the curve.”