“Green” Real Estate and EcoBrokers

As a real estate agent, I am always looking for ways to enhance my knowledge in all areas of the ever-changing market. One area that interested me was energy efficiency and “green real estate.” It seemed to be a trending topic in many news articles and online blogs and something that our industry didn’t seem to explore in any great depth. I want to make a contribution to help “green” the planet and thought educating myself and passing on that information to others would be a good place to start. After doing some research, I decided to take an online course that would accredit me as an EcoBroker. EcoBroker is an American-based online course founded in 2002. It is one of the premier providers for green designation courses for real estate professionals. EcoBrokers have members in the US, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America, and New Zealand. This course consisted of about 18 hours of online work which gave me the accreditation of “EcoBroker.” The course outline included the following:

• Environmental issues such radon, asbestos, lead, and mould and solutions to all of these issues;
• Resources used to evaluate and improve air quality for health and comfort;
• Information on environmental, health, and savings benefits of green buildings;
• Energy saving features and exploring the leading “green” home certification programs such as: Energy Star, LEED, and Built Green; and
• Exploring how to help clients buy and sell certified properties and how to assist clients to get larger loans using green financing tools.

After completing the course, I was interested in finding one that was Canadian-based since a lot of the information and links for the Ecobroker were American. I found the National Association of Green Agents and Brokers. It is also a series of online courses covering much of the same material but not as extensive (8 hours as opposed to 18).

Energy efficiency and real estate

The combination of the two courses provided me with an extensive overview of environmental and energy saving issues which I hope to pass on to clients. I don’t consider myself an expert by any means, but it is helpful to have the general knowledge and be able to then send clients to the specialists in any given field that may concern or interest them. Since people are becoming more aware of energy efficiency and its benefits both financially and environmentally, I think it’s important to stay on top of this subject. There are no other agents on PEI holding either one of these accredititations so I stand out in this area.

Clients these days are definitely interested in buying energy efficient homes or exploring ways that homes can be improved in this capacity. The concept is still fairly new—especially on PEI as compared to other provinces in Canada. We are starting to catch up though, and newly built homes are including many of the trends such as ICF foundations and alternative heating such as geothermal systems, radiant heat, or solar panels. Consumers are willing to pay more for these types of things, but they still don’t want to pay a significant amount more for a home that has them. Many people still put their pocketbook first—only because they don’t have the numbers on paper that prove some of these things will save them money in the long run. Young people seem to be more energy conscious than older clients. This may be because they are more apt to research energy saving concepts than the older generation.

LEED and Green Ratings

The LEED program has just become available to PEI this past January under the company Thermal Wise. It is new and most people aren’t even aware it is accessible. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a popular and well recognized program in the US and is now becoming well known in Canada as well. It is the only third party certification program in Canada who recognizes high performance green homes and buildings. There are no Island builders on board yet, but LEED are meeting with builders and real estate agents throughout the coming year to better educate them on the LEED program. For more information on this program, you can visit their website.

Although we don’t have green ratings on PEI, we do have residential energy assessments that can be performed on homes by licensed and independent energy advisors. These assessments can tell you where your home energy is being used and where it is being wasted. With the report, you also get an energy efficiency rating for your home. Since this rating system is relatively new to our province, it is not widely used yet in the marketing of homes. You can find out more information on this program here: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca

“Green-ing” Your Home

If you aren’t able to buy an energy efficient home, you can always take steps to “green” your home after the purchase. Often this can be done without huge costs. Buying a home close to your work and school is one way to buy green as you will be emitting less pollution in your travel back and forth. Doing something as simple as insulating your attic can translate into savings on your heating bill. Opening your curtains through the day and allowing the sun to help heat your home seems insignificant, but can also make a difference if done consistently. Changing the filter in your furnace will help it operate more efficiently—this costs just a few dollars to do but can save much more on your heating bills.

Researching the Green Effect

There are countless other things to look for when either buying a new home or working with your existing home while keeping energy efficiency in mind. The best thing you can do is go online and do your own research on what you should be watching for. Some great websites for information on energy efficiency include:

Ten  Tips on Making Your Home More Eco-Friendly (Better Homes and Gardens, Real Estate)

10 Ways to Make Your Business Environmentally Friendly: Green Business is Good for the Bottom Line (About.com)

Green at Home: Easy Ways to Green Your Habits and Your Home (yourhome.ca)

If you would like some guidance on how to buy an energy efficient home or how to make your present home more energy efficient, you can check out my website and contact me through our contact page. I can give you information or steer you in the right direction.

Carol O’Hanley
Sales Agent
Coldwell Banker Parker Realty

Related posts:

1. Little Acts of Green
2. Little Acts of Green
3. Little Acts of Green