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Beracah Homes and their preferred builders recently completed Green Advantage certification at a 2 day workshop held at the Beracah plant in Greenwood. David Johnston, author of Green from the Ground Up, conducted the workshop, and represented the 3rd party certification agency Green Advantage®. Green Advantage® is the result of collaboration between the Nature Conservancy, Science Applications International Corporation, the University of Florida, and is an environmental certification for building-related practitioners (primarily contractors), subcontractors and trades people. As the green building sector is growing at a rapid pace, certification by Green Advantage® demonstrates a strong commitment by Beracah and their builders towards more energy efficient & sustainably built homes.
Energy efficiency, conservation of natural resources and indoor air quality are the three fundamental principles that revolve around green building. Green building encompasses every part of construction, not just house itself but everything around it. This “oneness” creates a relationship with a house and its occupants to the world around them. Put simply, green building is a process of design and construction that fosters the conservation of energy and other natural resources and promotes a healthy environment. Recently Beracah Homes completed their first of many Energy Star Certified homes. And with Energy Star plant certification occurring within the next few months, green building is a direction Beracah is heading full-on. “Earlier this year I attended one of David’s seminars and became certified by Green Advantage” said Roger Collison (Vice President of Beracah Homes), “but certification is only good to the person who attends a seminar and passes the exam”. Therefore, Beracah paid to have Johnston come to their plant in Greenwood and individually train their plant managers and their entire team of preferred builders.
Johnston was quick to note that modular construction (as performed by Beracah) is and will be the frontrunner in green building technology, citing construction in a controlled environment provides many benefits that on-site built homes simply cannot overcome. In the plant environment, a home is constructed as a system, moving between stations until its completion. Plant construction is a natural flow to the building of a green home, as a green home functions best as a system of interrelated parts. With an increased focus on the efficiency of each segment, the standard end result home as built by Beracah is stronger, more energy efficient, and with proper maintenance, holds a greater home value. Aside from the physical construction (framing) of a home, Green Advantage training focuses on site design, foundation work, plumbing, electrical, heating, ventilation, lighting, air conditioning, siding, insulation, windows/doors, solar energy, indoor air quality, and more. Official certification from Green Advantage® demonstrates knowledge from its members about building structures that are: 1) energy and water efficient for reduced monthly bills, 2) insect and disaster resistant for a long life, 3) healthier for the well-being of its occupants, and 4) environmentally friendly for the health of the planet. Said Collison, “Our commitment to quality has a new, green standard to which our customers will come to know. We will build the most comfortable, healthy, and energy efficient home they’ve owned”.
Beracah Homes (beracahhomes.com) is a wholesale builder of modular “off-site, stick built” homes, located in Greenwood, Delaware. More information about Beracah Homes, Green Advantage and Beracah Builders can be obtained by visiting their website or at their plant on Rt. 13 in Greenwood, DE.
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