Price is easy to measure. Performance, durability, and peace of mind are harder.
Countertops, flooring, fixtures, square footage. They’re easy to see—and easy to value. But what about the parts of a home that determine whether it stays dry, comfortable, healthy, and durable for decades?
In the latest episode of The Valuation Metric, Green Builder Media CEO Sara Gutterman talks with Alan Hubbell, North America Residential Marketing Leader for DuPont Performance Building Solutions, about the challenge of putting a value on what homeowners may never see.
Hubbell has spent decades working on the “invisible” side of housing, from helping develop Florida’s hurricane-impact window market to advancing better building envelopes and weather protection. His experience raises a fundamental question: How do you put a price on problems that never happen?
The conversation explores why durability must be the foundation of sustainability, how callbacks and long-term failures can change the true economics of a home, and why focusing only on upfront construction costs can obscure much greater value over time.
It also gets to the heart of the Value Per Square Footmovement: Instead of asking only how cheaply we can build a square foot, what happens when we ask how much performance, resilience, comfort, and durability we can build into it?
As Hubbell puts it, competing solely on cost can become “a race to the bottom.”
Watch the full episode to discover why the things hidden behind the walls may ultimately be some of the most valuable things in the house.
Cati O’Keefe is the editorial director of Green Builder Media. She has 25 years of experience reporting and writing on all aspects of residential housing, building and energy codes, green building, and sustainability.
What’s Behind the Walls Is Worth More Than You Think
Price is easy to measure. Performance, durability, and peace of mind are harder.
Countertops, flooring, fixtures, square footage. They’re easy to see—and easy to value. But what about the parts of a home that determine whether it stays dry, comfortable, healthy, and durable for decades?
In the latest episode of The Valuation Metric, Green Builder Media CEO Sara Gutterman talks with Alan Hubbell, North America Residential Marketing Leader for DuPont Performance Building Solutions, about the challenge of putting a value on what homeowners may never see.
Hubbell has spent decades working on the “invisible” side of housing, from helping develop Florida’s hurricane-impact window market to advancing better building envelopes and weather protection. His experience raises a fundamental question: How do you put a price on problems that never happen?
The conversation explores why durability must be the foundation of sustainability, how callbacks and long-term failures can change the true economics of a home, and why focusing only on upfront construction costs can obscure much greater value over time.
It also gets to the heart of the Value Per Square Foot movement: Instead of asking only how cheaply we can build a square foot, what happens when we ask how much performance, resilience, comfort, and durability we can build into it?
As Hubbell puts it, competing solely on cost can become “a race to the bottom.”
Watch the full episode to discover why the things hidden behind the walls may ultimately be some of the most valuable things in the house.
By Cati O'Keefe
Cati O’Keefe is the editorial director of Green Builder Media. She has 25 years of experience reporting and writing on all aspects of residential housing, building and energy codes, green building, and sustainability.Also Read