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MARQUETTE -- What once was just a color is now a way of life. 

"Green," in all its natural glory, describes anything healthy for Mother Earth.  Some call it a buzz word, others swear by it.  L.R. Swadley and his team at Sunrise Builders in Marquette fall in the latter group.

"Because of what we have to put into our homes so they perform well and stay warm up here," says Swadley.  "We've got some harsh winters, harsh environment for half a year, and our homes have always been what I call high performance."

Some might call a '65 Mustang high performance, others, the fastest computer on the market.  For Swadley, high performance refers to green homes.

"A lot of different little features that goes into that.  Not only the super-insulated home package, but tankless water heaters, high efficient furnaces and things like this all bring in a total package of the high performance home," he explains.

Swadley's work was just featured in the "Guide to Green Building Rating Systems" publication, a nationally recognized read in the home building world.  And for him, building green doesn't necessarily mean building an entire house. 

"Insulation and windows are the best investments you can make in existing homes," Swadley says.

It's all about keeping the heat inside, getting rid of that draft, utilizing the sun.  New windows can do that, and The Window Store in Marquette guarantees it.

"Buy and replace all the doors and windows in their home, and we'll guarantee they'll have a 40 percent energy savings," says Bill Flannigan of The Window Store.

The store has had that deal for a decade now.  A good deal for them and for the homeowners.

"It's worked out beautiful.  I hear stories of a lot more than 40 percent; I hear stories of 30-35 percent, but it's a huge savings," Flannigan says. 

You've probably heard of Energy Star rated products.  Energy Star is a government program that classifies appliances, windows, doors, etc. on their energy efficiency.  If you pay for Energy Star, Uncle Sam's willing to pay you.

"Thirty percent credit up to $1500.  So if you spend $5000, you get a $1500 tax credit.  That's a refundable credit from the IRS," explains Lloyd Houle of Houle and Associates Accounting in Marquette.

Skeptics argue that it's not worth it.  Energy Star and other green products cost too much.

"I've never had anybody come back and say 'I spent too much, and I wish you wouldn't have talked me into it,'" Flannigan says.  "There's no time like the present to spend the money on insulation."