Real Estate Central

WASHINGTON, May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Home buyers and
commercial investors alike are increasingly demanding green building
practices, and many experts agree the environmentally friendly building
approach is here to stay.

That’s what speakers at today’s Land Use, Property Rights and
Environment Forum told Realtors(R) attending the National Association of
Realtors(R) Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo, here through
Saturday.

“Realtors(R) build communities, and they can play a significant role in
making sure those communities incorporate environmentally friendly building
practices,” said NAR President Dick Gaylord, a broker with RE/MAX Real
Estate Specialists in Long Beach, Calif.

Homes and buildings have a major impact on the environment. According
to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, residential and commercial
buildings account for more than one-third of the nation’s total energy use,
12 percent of water use, 68 percent of electricity consumption and 38
percent of carbon dioxide emissions.

At the forum, David Rodgers, deputy assistant security of the U.S.
Department of Energy, announced a joint partnership with NAR to produce
educational materials to educate Realtors(R) about energy efficiency in
existing homes and for Realtors(R) to use in educating their clients about
improving their home’s energy use.

“Realtors(R) have access to millions of home buyers and sellers each
year and are in an excellent position to help raise awareness of the
benefits of energy efficiency. This initiative will help Realtors(R) become
better prepared for consumer demand,” said Rodgers.

A recent NAR survey of Realtors(R) who practice residential real estate
showed there is high demand among potential home buyers for green features.
Nearly nine out of 10 Realtors(R) said their clients are most interested in
the energy efficient features of green homes and their potential cost
savings. Nearly half of those surveyed said they frequently discuss green
building practices with their clients and nearly 90 percent agreed there
will be even more interest in green building a year from now.

An informal survey of Realtors(R) who practice commercial real estate
showed similar findings. One-third of those surveyed said green building is
important to their clients and more than half frequently discuss green
building practices with their clients. Nine out of 10 agreed that a year
from now there will be even more interest in environmentally friendly
building.

“Increasing energy efficiency through green building is the cheapest,
quickest and cleanest way to extend natural energy supplies, tackle climate
change and enhance energy security,” said Kateri Callahan, president of the
Alliance to Save Energy. Callahan believes that in the future, consumers
will demand greener building practices that will be driven by policy
mandates at all levels of government.

Doug Gatlin of the U.S. Green Building Council, which developed the
LEED building rating system for certifying green buildings across the
globe, agreed. “Green building is an industry trend, not a fad. There is a
market shift toward green buildings; they are more attractive to commercial
tenants because these spaces are more efficient and operate for less, and
they are better for occupants’ health and increase their productivity.”

The National Association of Realtors(R), “The Voice for Real Estate,”
is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.2 million members
involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate
industries.

Information about NAR is available at http://www.realtor.org. News releases
are posted in the Web site’s “News Media” section in the NAR Media Center.



REALTOR(R) is a registered collective membership mark which may be used
only by real estate professionals who are members of the NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS(R) and subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics. Not
all real estate agents are REALTORS(R). All REALTORS(R) are members of NAR.





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Source: Real Estate Newswire