Patrick Walsh's Blog

With the real estate market finally showing signs of life, it may be time for you to think about what you are looking for in a REALTOR® and in a home. A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Green Designee can help you find or create a green home. A green home can be easier on the environment, your health and your wallet.

As your Tempe REALTOR® and a green designee, I am qualified to guide you through the green process, whether you are looking to buy or sell a green home. If you do not live in the area, I would be happy to refer you to another REALTOR® with a green designation that can help you find what you are looking for.

In order to attain the "green designee" designation, a REALTOR® is required to take a class offered through the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. The class teaches REALTORS® how to make educated decisions about green materials, energy-efficient technologies, green ratings, green design, green living and green incentives. 

A green designee REALTOR® can also help you obtain a LEED certification for your home. A LEED certification is a third-party that sets design, construction and operational standards for high performance green buildings. A LEED certification can make your home more marketable. In addition to helping you obtain a LEED certification for your home, a green designee can help you find a LEED certified home.

A green home should have the following: a positive impact on human health and comfort; integration into a sound environment; and sustainable design, construction and systems (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®). A green designee REALTOR® can help you secure the products and services that will make your home more sustainable.  

Patrick Walsh Green Living: Green Vendors

U.S. Green Building Council

Green REsource Council of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

If you decide that you want to make your home more sustainable, then working with a green vendor can help ensure a more environmentally-friendly home for yourself and your family. As your Tempe real estate agent and a NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Green Designee, I can help you make educated decisions about green vendors, green materials, energy-efficient technology, green ratings, green design, green living and green incentives. There may be many green vendors in your city, making it difficult to determine if a vendor is truly green. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® recommends that you consider the following before hiring a green vendor to help you with your home:

• What is the vendor's location and proximity to the job site?
• Does the vendor have a certification or proven affiliation with a recognized green building organization?
• Is there a professional association for the trade? If so, is the vendor a member and active participant?
• What is the vendor's knowledge and experience in working with green building issues?
• Are client references available?
• Has the vendor completed a green building project similar in size and scope? Are site visits or photographs available? Is client contact information available?
• Does the vendor recycle or reuse demolition or construction waste?
• Does the vendor have an area of green specialization?
• Does the vendor use a third-party organization to verify work?

If you do decide to work with a green vendor, I have posted the names and contact information of some local vendors on the Green Living page on my Web site.

Creating a green home can be an exciting and rewarding process, however is important to understand that you may need to make some compromises. You may come across a green vendor who offers bamboo flooring, but the product must first be shipped from China. Which is more important - the product that helps lessen your impact on the environment, or the fuel it will take to get the product here? Only you can answer that question.

For more information on green vendors, please visit the following Web sites:

Patrick Walsh's Green Living

U.S. Green Building Council: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)

National Association of Home Builders

I am pleased to announce that I have been awarded the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Green Designation certification. What does this mean for you? As your Tempe REALTOR®, it means I have the tools to help you "green" your home, making it more marketable and environmentally friendly.

Green homes should have the following: a positive impact on human health and comfort; integration into a sound environment; and sustainable design, construction and systems (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®).  Former Vice-President Al Gore's Nobel Prize winning documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," helped inspire my decision to work toward a more sustainable existence as both a person and a REALTOR®. As a REALTOR®, I want to help people create environmentally-friendly homes.

As a NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Green Designee, I can help you make educated decisions about green materials, energy-efficient technology, green ratings, green design, green living and green incentives. I can also help you obtain a LEED certification for your home. LEED is a third-party certification program that sets design, construction and operational standards for high performance green buildings.

LEED is awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council. Certification is available in the following areas:

• New construction and major renovations
• Existing buildings
• Commercial interiors (fit outs by tenants)
• Core and shell (total building without fit outs)
• Schools (K-12), retail and healthcare facilities
• Homes
• Neighborhood Development

Qualified properties are awarded one of the following certifications: Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum. Properties can qualify for LEED certification by earning points in six areas:

• Sustainable sites
• Water efficiency
• Energy and atmosphere
• Materials and resources
• Indoor environment quality
• Innovation and design process

I can help you by making suggestions to help you "green" your home. I can also connect you with reputable green vendors who can provide the products and services that will help you make your home more sustainable.

Here are a couple of purchases you can make that will save you money and lessen your environmental impact:  

• ENERGY STAR windows - annual savings: $300
• Solar Attic Fan - annual savings: $200
• Low-flow Faucets - annual savings: $100

For more information on green building, I encourage you to visit the following Web sites:

Green REsource Council of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

ENERGY STAR

U.S. Green Building Council