All you have to do is look at the advertising from condominium and home builders to see that environmentally friendly housing is the hottest thing in building today. And condominiums, by their very nature, take advantage of almost all of green housing’s possibilities.

Condominiums have the advantage of population density, with a compact physical footprint which further allows builders to open up surrounding space for outdoor activities. Most frequently built in urban locales, they can reduce owners’ need for automobiles and encourage the use of mass transportation. In addition, by sharing walls, common spaces, and high-efficiency heat systems, air conditioning and appliances, each unit maximizes its “green” potential.

Today, members of the buying public are educated about green building, and want their homes to be in line with sensible environmental and health concerns. Condominium projects all over the country have incorporated the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards that are the present benchmark for green construction. These standards feature installation of photovoltaic solar roof systems that run electrical needs and create hot water. Another LEED standard is the diversion of sink and shower water for irrigation of outdoor plantings. Possibilities for energy savings are almost endless and run from geothermal heating and cooling, to air-tight insulation, to super-filtered internal air, to the use of non-toxic paints, to recycled wood components and furniture produced from sustainable sources.

One argument against green equipment and building modification is that it will cost too much to implement. As with most new technologies, all of the costs will come down over time… and here, again, condominiums have an advantage. Since many of their green qualities are embodied in their shared structural elements, buyers can enjoy the benefits of green living from the outset. The additional costs of adding energy-efficient equipment will only add a few percentage points. Another plus is that carrying costs for green units are normally lower since they run on less water, less energy and create less waste than a normally-equipped condominium or house. All in all, condominiums are a great choice for eco-friendly, affordable living.

PROS AND CONS OF CONDOMINIUM LIVING

Pros

Location: There is often a high concentration of condominiums in downtown locations where land is at
a premium. If you want to be in the heart of the city, a condominium may be a good choice.

Security: Having neighbors makes it a lot easier to leave for a vacation. Condominium buildings often have security features like buzzers or a guard service, which is particularly helpful if the condo is a second home and only occupied for part of the year.

Low Maintenance: No more mowing the lawn or shoveling snow. Condo living means someone else takes care of the maintenance.

Affordability: While condominiums have a wide price range, the lower range is often within the budget of
first-time buyers who may find single-family houses unaffordable.

Amenities: Most condominium developments offer a range of amenities in the common areas like a swimming pool, gym or tennis courts that would not be affordable on your own.

Condominium Association: Every unit owner is a member of the condo association, which also has an elected board. The association serves to enforce bylaws, handles maintenance and repair issues and deals with disputes with developers or between unit owners.

Cons

Ownership: When you buy a condo, you do not own the land beneath the building, you simply share an interest in it. You own the space between the walls of your unit and share ownership of the common areas with other owners.

Community Living: Shared walls and common areas mean that you are more likely to hear your neighbors or run into them more often.

Fees: Monthly condo fees go toward maintenance and repair of the common areas. There are occasionally additional assessment fees to handle larger repair jobs. Fees may also go for amenities, such as a swimming pool, that you may not use.

Resale: Condominiums are more sensitive to trends in the real estate market than single-family homes. If the market takes a downturn, condos are usually the first to suffer and the last to recover.

Rules: Condos are governed by a set of rules called Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs). This can include restrictions on noise levels, pet ownership, renovations and even what kind of curtains you can put in your windows.

Condominium Association: Because the condo association is made up of homeowners rather than property-management professionals, the association may be weak and inefficient.