Everything is "Going Green"! There are a lot of ways for each and everyone of us to join this movement to help save our planet! See below to learn about: Energy Savers Booklet Available from U. S. Department of Energy! How to make your home GREENER! There is a lot to learn!	THE SCHMIDT TEAM    Tim and Nancy Schmidt Real Estate Brokers More and more GREEN related information and products are being seen in cities, towns, stores, on TV etc.   If you haven't paid any attention, start now!  There is a lot to learn and we'll try to help!
Going Green Gains Momentum in Tough Real Estate Market Green Building Is Coming of Age By Kerry Mitchell        Question: Who thinks the new world of green building and "going green" has the capacity to rescue today's real estate market?      Answer: Anyone who manufactures, sells, processes and represents any products or systems that use renewable energy for their main source of power. Add to this any service or business dedicated to creating a better living space for the occupants of our built environment, whether it be residential or commercial.      Today, even as we are seeing many lose their homes, or "going under" because of slowing sales in the real estate sector, there is a quiet revolution happening for all to join in and prosper from. The new world of "going green" is creating as much opportunity as the historic gold rushes.      We consumers are smart today. You cannot simply sell us any home. It has to produce better and more lasting results for lower utility bills in the near future. It must be better for our living environment. A property must not only meet our needs, but more and more consumers are demanding that they exceed those needs.           We used to move every 5 to 7 years. But experience makes me feel that consumers want to stay longer. The home they buy or rent must be healthier.           Similarly, to keep employees happy and coming back, our workplaces must offer more. Our lifestyles are changing, and this is reflected in our ideas of home purchase, or when corporations decide to move their offices or build branch visibility.           Today we know that green buildings boast documented higher productivity and lower absenteeism rates, which follows from the healthier materials used. Many more people are beginning to accept the fact that first costs are not the only factor to consider when building or renovating. It is the life of the structure that is being considered.           And so I encourage everyone to join the new revolution. Begin to care about your carbon footprint and make a difference for your clients and customers. As consumers, begin to look at the long-term value of the renovations you invest in. In the long run, you will see a difference in your bottom line.           Kerry Mitchell is the founder and course developer of Green Real Estate Education, which is on target to educate more than 20,000 real estate professionals in going green by 2009/10. Mitchell established the recognized certification for the real estate industry, the GCREP.GL. She worked for 14 years as a licensed real estate broker in Maryland and Florida, where she now resides.
DID YOU KNOW?  Ducts can leak 25 to 30% of the conditioned air in the house to the exterior of the house.   A material’s R-value is the measure of its resistance to heat flow.  The higher the R-value, the better it is at resisting heat loss or gain.   Lighting controls such as dimmers and occupancy sensors add convenience and some energy savings.   New ENERGY STAR Trane air conditioning products are twice as efficient as old units and help reduce monthly energy bills.   Studies of human exposure to air pollutants indicate indoor levels of pollutants may be two to five times, and occasionally more than 100 times, higher than outdoor levels.   An estimated 36 million individuals in America suffer from allergies or asthma.  Controlling a home’s environment to reduce allergen levels is important for managing these conditions.   Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are chemicals found in some paints, wood preservatives, aerosol sprays and materials such as vinyl flooring.  VOCs give off gases that can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat.   Formaldehyde is one of the most common VOCs.  It is found in many building materials, furniture, drapes, carpets and some types of insulation.   New home construction consumes two-fifths of all the lumber and plywood used in the United States.  A typical 1700 square-foot wood frame home requires the equivalent of clear cutting one acre of forest.   Planting at least one tree per 1000 square feet of landscaped area can help provide shade, windbreaks, land stabilization and habitat for wildlife.   Construction waste consists mainly of lumber and manufactured wood products, drywall and masonry material.   A family of four can save up to 20,000 gallons of water a year – the amount needed to fill an average-sized swimming pool – by using a low-flow showerhead.  From information on the U. S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY website online.	Make Your House More GREEN! And spend less green doing it!  Building an eco-friendly house that doesn’t cost a fortune is something architect Allison Ewing knows a lot about. She and husband Christopher Hays run Hays & Ewing Design Studio in Charlottesville, VA.  They created several sustainable houses for low-income residents through Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit that provides affordable housing to families in need.  And because these homes are efficient, utility bills are much lower, making them economical, too. We asked Ewing to share practical, budget-friendly ways to improve your home’s efficiency and carbon footprint:  Caulk the windows.  By stopping your house from letting air get in and out (aka “improving your envelope”), you can make a big difference in electricity bills – by at least 10%.  Use a $5 tube of caulk to seal siding cracks and fill in around windows and any other spots where air escapes.  Look for a type suited to the materials you’ll apply it to (vinyl, wood) as well as your climate (humid, dry).  And pick a formulation low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs); it’ll emit fewer potentially harmful chemicals.  Insulate your basement properly.  If you are building a new house, you can employ the latest techniques and technologies to improve the structure’s energy efficiency.  For example, Ewing persuaded Habitat for Humanity to install a Superior Walls foundation system (made of precast concrete) in the basement to keep out moisture, lower energy bills and maintain good air quality.  “The Superior Walls system is only marginally more expensive than a poured foundation wall system but provides insulation integral to the system,” she says.  “This all falls under good envelope design.”  Plant a rain garden.  Inexpensive wetland plants such as cattails and irises filter out pollutants from rainwater, keeping toxins out of local waterways.  These plants also reduce erosion by slowing down rainwater as it travels through the ground.  But this type of garden isn’t right for arid environments, where rainfall totals are low.  Instead, try xeriscaping, a water-saving landscape technique that relies on native and drought-tolerant plants that don’t need irrigation.  Buy wood “shorts”.  Reclaimed wood flooring can be costly.  But you can save if you buy “shorts,” which are cheaper because they are shorter than the standard length and often are discarded.  Or pick “character-grade” wood.  “It’s knotty, with more variation in color,”  Ewing says.  Another option:  Use pieces in random widths and lengths.  Once they are stained the same color, they will have a nice, cohesive look.  Use trees strategically.  Plant deciduous trees or large bushes on the south side of your home to provide shade in the summer (cutting your air-conditioning bill) and to let in sun during the winter (cutting your heating bill).  The cost depends on the types and quality of trees or bushes you plant, but expect to spend at least $100 for each.  The south side is key because that’s where most of the sunlight comes in during the day. From USA Weekend, April 9 – 11, 2010 issue.  By Natalie Ermann Russell
Top 10 Tips:  Here are 10 highly effective ways to go GREENER.  Hit it!  1.     Seal the Leaks! 2.     Cover your Glass 3.     Stay ventilated 4.     Spread the heat 5.     Heating wisely 6.     Peel a drape 7.     Start a fire (but not like a caveman) 8.     Getting into (cheaper) hot water 9.     Be passive 10.  Cuddle up   Stay tuned.  We will fill in more information under these headings sometime later.  It’s great information!
Because Realtors® Care:      As energy prices increase, it makes sense to consider the energy efficiency of your home.  If you are worried about energy costs, you're not alone.  Nearly half of all REALTORS®, members of the National Association of REALTORS®, say this is an important issue for their clients and 87% say that their clients' concerns over home energy efficiency will increase over the next year.      To learn more about U. S. Department of energy programs in energy efficiency and renewable energy, visit the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's web site at www.eere.energy.gov .       They have a booklet with the following contents:           1.  Save Energy and Money Today           2.  Your Home's Energy Use           3.  Insulation and Sealing Air Leaks           4.  Heating and Cooling           5.  Water Heating           6.  Windows           7.  Lighting           8.  Appliances           9.  Home Office and Home Electronics         10.  Driving and Car Maintenance         11.  Renewable Energy         12.  References          from The National Association of Realtors® in partnership with U. S. Department of Energy.	Home Energy Investments in Stimulus  Among the many provisions, H. R. 1, the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009,” invests significantly in making housing and buildings more energy efficient.  It provides:  $6 billion in state energy efficiency and conservation grants for energy audits and financial incentives. $5 billion for a modern electricity grid and home smart meters that save money on power bills, and $5 billion for weatherization assistance and $2 billion for federally assisted housing (section 8).  Through 2010, homeowners will be able to claim a 30% tax credit (up from 10%) for purchases of new furnaces, windows and insulation.  The energy efficiency grants, new funding for Brownsfields redevelopment, and Energy Department Loan guarantees to develop on-site alternative energy sources will especially benefit commercial real estate.  From THE WASHINGTON REPORT of February 23, 2009, A NAR publication.