Builders in Portland, Ore., say they have yet to earn money by opting to include green features, mainly because there have been few studies conducted to determine the value of green buildings.

Shorebank Pacific President Dave Williams notes that lenders do not consider green features when making underwriting decisions. He explains that appraisers are hesitant to factor green features into their valuations when hard data is lacking, as they are held liable by lenders in the event of failed deals.

In response, Theddi Wright Chappell of Pacific Security Capital has teamed up with the U.S. Green Building Council and the Appraisal Institute to develop green-building data for use by appraisers. Rather than focus solely on historical data, Chappell says appraisers need to examine present and future trends. Read more

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