A bill passed in the State Senate aims to increase the number of green homes built in New York state.
The legislation would give municipalities the power to grant tax exemptions for green home construction in their district.
The green homes initiative will give people planning to build a home a 35 percent tax exemption for 20 years, but their architectural plan would have to meet the National Association of Home Builders and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards first.
New York State Sen. Mark Grisanti says the legislation is expected to make it cheaper for people to own environmental friendly homes.
“They're amazing: these houses have no electric or gas bill. So if you can imagine that they use geothermal technology in the for heating and they use solar for the electric. As a matter of fact in the development they have mini-windmills that run the street lights and the landscaping lights for the development,” said Grisanti.
Grisanti says the legislation is also expected to create jobs for home builders and provide a boost to the upstate housing market, as demand for the homes increases.
“If people tour these type of homes they would be amazed. I went into one of these houses where the gentlemen there said, 'do you smell any paint?' And I said 'no.' He took me into a room and he goes we just painted this room an hour and a half ago. Even the paint content doesn’t have that odor,” recalls Grisanti.
The next step for the bill is a vote in the State Assembly. Many green homes have already been built around the state, the home in this post are located in western New York and built by Natale Builders.
