Living Healthier at Home

Living Green with an Energy-Efficient Labeled Home

Energy efficiency is a top concern for many homeowners because of rising energy costs and increased environmental awareness. A home that has earned the ENERGY STAR label must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20-30% more efficient than standard homes.


ENERGY STAR qualified homes offer homebuyers all the features they want in a new home, plus energy-efficient improvements that deliver better performance, greater comfort, and lower utility bills then standard built homes. Buying a home is complex enough without having to worry about the details of energy-efficient construction. Instead, home buyers can look for the government-backed ENERGY STAR label to easily identify homes that are truly energy efficient.

Eco-Buyer Beware: Green Can Be Deceiving

Many consumers may not have heard the term "Greenwashing", but surely many have experienced it with misleading marketing about the environmental benefits of a product. In today's real estate industry more then ever contractors, suppliers and even realtors are noticing that the green market is here to stay and growing strong and what they thought at the beginning others bringing this movement to light would go nowhere now find themselves jumping on the bandwagon. More and more homes are being falsely advertised as energy- efficient by these individuals without knowing, realizing or understanding what those words entail. In reality the features incorporated in these homes really do not even amount to a great deal for anybody to notice the savings. This process is called "GREENWashing”.

As going green becomes big business--sales of true green products, and green certified buildings alone have sky rocketed and everybody is now to associate themselves with the environment, deservedly or not.

EcoBroker Certified Real Estate Agent

An EcoBroker Certified Realtor is the premiere green real estate professional that can help clients market properties with green features, save money, and live comfortably, through energy efficiency and environmentally-sensitive choices.

Ecobroker Certified Realtors are equipped with additional energy and environmental information and tools that help them provide added value to all of their real estate transactions. EcoBroker trained real estate agents can help address the newest topics in real estate, such as "green" home certification programs like Energy Star® Qualified Homes, energy-efficiency, and environmentally-sensitive design. EcoBroker Certified Realtors assist in working through issues that may arise in any real estate transaction, such as mold, radon, and poor indoor air quality, providing real solutions. EcoBrokers can provide the correct information, experience and knowledge to their green-minded consumers by providing valuable energy and environmental information to all types of clients. With expertise and Affiliate relationships, EcoBrokers are known for providing exceptional value to all of their relationships.

With the growing green real estate market, Ecobrokers help customers get the most when buying or selling energy efficient, environmentally friendly homes.

The only way an Eco-buyer is assured that the property they are buying are TRULY an Energy Efficient home is through an EcoBroker trained Realtor or by looking for the trusted Energy Star Blue Seal.

Finding the home of your dreams and enjoying peace of mind knowing that it also meets strict energy efficiency guidelines is a profitable investment now and in the future when you're ready to sell the features.

LOWER OWNERSHIP COST

Compared with standard homes, ENERGY STAR qualified homes use substantially less energy for heating, cooling, and water heating-delivering. Saving that can amount to thousands of dollars saved in utility bills. Buyers also have additional savings on maintenance that can be substantial. As well as financing their home purchase using an energy efficient mortgage can also lead to savings. Request more information from your local Ecobroker Certified Realtor.

BETTER PERFORMANCE


Properly installed energy-efficient improvements deliver better protection against cold, heat, drafts, moisture, pollution, and noise. Energy-efficient homes help ensure consistent temperatures between and across rooms, improved indoor air quality, and greater durability.


SMART INVESTMENT

To date, nearly 940,000 ENERGY STAR qualified homes have been built and increasing in large numbers as consumers experience the difference. The trend is clear. By choosing a home with the ENERGY STAR label, you can be confident that it will have an increasingly valued feature when the time comes to sell.


ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Did you know that your home can be a greater source of pollution than your car? In fact, 16 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are generated from the energy used in houses nationwide.

Energy used in our homes often comes from the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and global warming. Simply put, the less energy we use in our homes, the less air pollution we generate.