How much green does it take to go green?

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Once the construction is done, probably early this summer, the Sullivans' construction loans can be converted into a mortgage. They'd like to take advantage of Fannie Mae's "green mortgages," which allow borrowers with energy-efficient dwellings to add projected savings to their income for the purpose of qualifying for a loan. By contrast, conventional underwriting assumes that utility costs will be a standard percentage of expenses. The Fannie Mae program is aimed at single-family dwellings, but George is working with a Michigan lender, Priority Mortgage Corp, to see if there's a way to apply it to multi-family buildings. Indigo's Joel Wiese says such mortgages are rare in any case because lenders have to know more about energy use than usual and because the demand for them is miniscule. George says that a sympathetic Chicago banker told him he was the first person to ask about a green mortgage.

That makes the Sullivans' final point: bankers will come around when enough consumers express an interest. So will developers, real estate salespeople, home improvement retailers, contractors, and tradespeople. Consumers will have to demand that the professionals they hire stop following time-honored routines and thinking short-term. "Right now people ar buying without asking the right questions about operating costs," says George. "It's all about voting green with your dollars."