Green is Good for Property Specialists

What does the word “greenhouse” mean to you? Traditionally, it meant a building made of glass, where plants are cultivated. More recently the terms “green” and “house” have congered up very different meanings—that of a home that uses sustainable building materials and energy efficient design. And now for realtors and other property industry professionals, the growing green housing movement is significantly changing how property is marketed and managed.
People are recognizing that a green building is efficient, and efficiency has real economic, as well as social and environmental value. Organizations in the UK, the US and Australia have agreed to cooperate and develop common metrics for measuring CO2 emissions. These leading green building ratings are now available internationally for measuring the environmental sustainability of new and existing homes and buildings.
Here in Canada, the movement towards going green is growing exponentially, especially in British Columbia and the Atlantic provinces. Recent findings show that about one out of three BC residents has already taken steps to make their homes more environmentally friendly (Source: BCREA, January 2009).
Unfortunately there is little consistency or standardization amongst the various degrees of ‘greenness” within a market. Some type of consistency will make it easier for property developers and building owners to monitor the energy performance of their buildings. But when it comes to individual homeowners—that is not so easy.
Consumers looking to purchase eco-friendly homes have limited options to obtain detailed information on the green aspects of a home, often relying on the information provided by the current homeowner which may or may not be accurate.
And while green is good for consumers and for our planet, industry professionals benefit as well. Right now, brokers knowledgeable in green practices can really distinguish themselves from their competitors. It won’t be long, however, before the basics of green brokerage will be considered minimum training for the profession. CREA promotes creative and innovative broker training programs, like those of NAR and the Associação dos Profissionais e Empresas de Mediação Imobiliária de Portugal (APEMIP) , by sharing best practices among its member Associations.

"Copyright Canadian Real Estate Association. Reprinted with permission.”