Builder To Debut Certified Green Home

By Chris Wright, News On 6

BROKEN ARROW, OK - A local homebuilder is set to debut the first certified "green home" in Green Country. It's being built in Broken Arrow and is expected to be completed in about two months.

The home may be the first of its kind in Northeastern Oklahoma and a bit of a novelty, but homebuilders say the "green" trend is here to stay.

When you first look at the home, it may look like any other home in any number of sprawling suburban subdivisions. But, the company that built the house says it's an original.

Bo Armentrout is with PMC Homes. He says the home is the first in the area to be certified "Green" by the National Association of Homebuilders.

"Really, you're trying to build a home with as little intrusion into the natural habitat as possible and using earth-friendly recycled materials and stuff like that," said Bo Armentrout with PMC Homes.

The home also had to meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency and use of recycled materials. PMC claims the future homeowner will save as much as 30% a month on energy bills.

The company contends it had little interest in building green homes until recently. Armentrout says they simply cost too much, but that has changed.

Homebuilders say recent advancements in green technology makes green homes possible and profitable.

"Now you can actually buy green products and they're comparable in pricing to normal constructed homes," said Armentrout.

For that reason, Armentrout says the home will be the first of many environmentally-friendly homes PMC Homes will build in the Tulsa area.

"As long as it's not cost-prohibitive, people are demanding it so it just makes sense. It's better for the environment, better for the people living there," said Armentrout.

PMC says the house will go on the market for about $190,000. The company says that is comparable to the price of similar homes in the area.