I was recently interviewed by Providence Business News about my decision to become a Green Realtor and I thought I'd take this opportunity to share why I took the time to learn about green issues and become certified. "Green" will be the way of home building and resale as we go forward. As the cost of living goes up, people are looking for ways to save money. Environmentally sensitive products may cost a bit more upfront, but provide consumers an opportunity to save on long-term costs. I wanted to get in on the ground floor of the Green trend. Being Green certified enables me to better educate consumers. I currently represent a development in South Kingstown - Ministerial Farms - which is five-star Energy Star-rated. The developer is doing an indoor air-quality certification, and if someone wants it, they will put in geothermal heating. I wanted to be knowledgeable about the ratings, certifications and products as well as retrofits and reselling. The certification process made me better prepared to answer the questions that people are starting to ask, such as "What is a five-star rating and how much money can it save me?". I took a two-day course with the National Association of Realtors - NAR's green designation core course. After that, I took a sustainable living elective class. I was tested on both classes, which covered the different types of certifications, like the Energy Star and the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design certifications (LEED). Green is the way things are going. People are driving more energy-efficient cars and living in energy-efficient houses - it's becoming a way of life. People in the area are doing small things - putting in energy-efficient bulbs and adding insulation. They are doing what they can to make their homes more energy efficient - just because the cost is so extreme to run a home. The market for green certification is basically everywhere, any place there's a home - Rhode Island, the United States and internationally. We're not going to go backwards toward a less-green future. Visit Providence Business News to read the full article by Kevin Shalvey.The Future of Green Real Estate
- By Michael McCann
- Posted
I was recently interviewed by Providence Business News about my decision to become a Green Realtor and I thought I'd take this opportunity to share why I took the time to learn about green issues and become certified. "Green" will be the way of home building and resale as we go forward. As the cost of living goes up, people are looking for ways to save money. Environmentally sensitive products may cost a bit more upfront, but provide consumers an opportunity to save on long-term costs. I wanted to get in on the ground floor of the Green trend. Being Green certified enables me to better educate consumers. I currently represent a development in South Kingstown - Ministerial Farms - which is five-star Energy Star-rated. The developer is doing an indoor air-quality certification, and if someone wants it, they will put in geothermal heating. I wanted to be knowledgeable about the ratings, certifications and products as well as retrofits and reselling. The certification process made me better prepared to answer the questions that people are starting to ask, such as "What is a five-star rating and how much money can it save me?". I took a two-day course with the National Association of Realtors - NAR's green designation core course. After that, I took a sustainable living elective class. I was tested on both classes, which covered the different types of certifications, like the Energy Star and the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design certifications (LEED). Green is the way things are going. People are driving more energy-efficient cars and living in energy-efficient houses - it's becoming a way of life. People in the area are doing small things - putting in energy-efficient bulbs and adding insulation. They are doing what they can to make their homes more energy efficient - just because the cost is so extreme to run a home. The market for green certification is basically everywhere, any place there's a home - Rhode Island, the United States and internationally. We're not going to go backwards toward a less-green future. Visit Providence Business News to read the full article by Kevin Shalvey.
