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50 | TH E M R EP O RT O R I G I NAT I O N S E R V I C I N G DATA G O V E R N M E N T S E C O N DA R Y M A R K E T THE LATEST DATA Single-Family Housing is Going Green At least one-third of single-family builders said green building accounts for more than 60 percent of their portfolio. S ingle-family home- builders are going green, according to a recent study from Dodge Data & Analytics in partnership with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). According to the study, of those surveyed, at least one-third of single-family builders said green building accounts for more than 60 percent of their portfolio. NAHB and Dodge believe by 2022, this will increase to nearly half of builders. "Dedicated" green builders, or those who have green building as more than 90 percent of their portfolio, made up 20 percent of those surveyed in single-family. According to NAHB Chairman Granger MacDonald, this shows that green building has become an established part of the residential construction landscape. "It is no longer a niche busi - ness; our members recognize the value of building green and are incorporating these elements into their standard business practices," MacDonald said. Net zero homes, or homes that produce as much renewable energy as they consume over the course of a year, are becoming more popular, too. Twenty-nine percent of single-family builders have built the homes in the past two years, and 44 percent expect to do so in the next biennium. The study showed that build - ers are seeing increased demand and competitive advantage for net zero homes as the top two drivers to begin developing them, but the added use of renewable technologies is also driving the rise in their popularity. Nineteen to 23 percent of builders reported using solar photovoltaic panels, part of a renewable-energy home, in the last two years, and 43 percent expect to use the technology in the future. "As consumers become more familiar with the impact that their homes can have on their health and well-being, we wouldn't be surprised to see the influence of this factor continue to grow," said Steve Jones, Dodge's Senior Director of Industry Insights Research. "It is no longer a niche business; our members recognize the value of building green and are incorporating these elements into their standard business practices." — Granger MacDonald, NAHB Chairman