Northern VA Real Estate & Green Home Living Tips

Arlington Virginia Home's Leaves to be Recycled.

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:06:15 -0600

Fall is officially here in Arlington County, and you really don’t need a calendar to identify the start of fall, the huge leaf piles in the Arlington Virginia Neighborhoods are a good enough indicator.

Arlington County will be collecting your leaves starting November 2nd through to January 15th 2010. There are two ways Arlington, VA Homeowners can have their leaves collected,............................

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A 1925 Mission Style home gets re-purposed

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:47:23 -0600

When a home buyer or homeowner is looking at design elements to remodel, build or purchase, it is a good idea to understand the way that you live your daily life from the workspace you need in your kitchen, to the layout and design of your living room. Having a better understanding of the "way you live" will give you and your builder/architect/real estate agent a better direction of which to help you create a more livable space and even reconfigure what you already have to make it more efficient for you and your family.

Read further about 1925 Mission Style Home Gets Re-Purposed

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Exciting News for Home Buyer Tax Credit.

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:06:54 -0600

Today’s news that Congress has extended the Homebuyers Tax Credit which was set to expire on the 30th of this month is wonderful news not only for First Time Homebuyers but also for existing Homeowners. The Home Buyer Tax Credit has been extended by Congress until April 30th, 2010 with some exciting modifications to the new Home Buyers Tax Credit Bill.

Click on the following link to learn more about the Home Buyers Tax Credit.

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Read more about the Homebuyers Tax Credit Changes.

November Green Giveaway

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:31:31 -0600

Household energy is one of the leading causes of harmful emissions of carbon dioxide. The energy efficiency of your home could not only be damaging the environment but costing you hundreds of dollars in unnecessary utility charges each year. Having a Home Energy Audit can identify energy efficiency improvements, which often are very low cost to implement and will provide you with a great rate of return

During the month of November Arbour Realty is giving one lucky person the chance to win a Home Energy Audit and Efficiency Gold Package (a $1250 value!) courtesy of Access Green. Simple become an Arbour Realty Facebook Fan or recommend a friend to become a fan and you will be entered to win this exciting prize. Simple click on the Facebook link below to enter. The lucky winner will be announced December 15th.

Learn more about Access Green

Arlington Reed School & Westover Library.

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:34:18 -0600

Arlington Residents and students welcomed the opening of the new Reed School & Westover Library last Friday. They celebrated this $22.5 million joint facility with a 2 day celebration which featured a Halloween community open house, live music, a WalkArlington neighborhood walkabout and green tours of the building.

Click on the following link to read more about Arlington Reed School and Westover Library.

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NVR- The Evolution of three decades of luxury building

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:16:12 -0600

The average lay person doesn't understand that most new homes are more energy efficient by default. When I worked for a luxury custom home builder, I liaised with the Austin Energy program to get all of our homes rated with the City. It is interesting to know that, in general, the concepts that an architect will institute in their plans are concepts that enable a home to be more energy efficient. Design concepts such as creating 2 foot eves over windows for shading, creating livable outdoor areas such as screened in porches, placing the home on the lot "just so" to make the most of any shade trees and orientation of windows towards the sun for optimal heating and cooling depending on the season. By building tighter homes, an architect has implemented elements of "green design" into their plan.

-Genevieve

Click on the following link to read more about NVR- The Evolution of three decades of luxury building

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Have a Green Halloween

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:59:07 -0500

As Halloween approaches everyone is busily decorate their homes, buying bags of candy and selecting which costume to purchase for themselves or their children. Halloween really is a fun holiday, and there is nothing more exciting for me than to walk around the Arlington neighborhoods and see all the spooky decorations, and Halloween lights.

Are you still digesting all of the information from the 2009 DC Green Festival™?

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:52:25 -0500

I know that I am. It has been nearly two weeks and I am still trying to wrap my brain around all of the deliciously informative details that I soaked up while trolling the aisles of the DC Convention Center on October 10th through the 11th at the Green Festival™.

The sixth annual Green Festival™, a joint project of Global Exchange and Green America, was again, an astonishing hit! Walking into the event center, dozens of helpful volunteers patrolled the vastness seeking out those of us with the ever-present deer-in-headlights look of sheer overwhelm. There was so much to see and so much to learn! The convention center, which I am sure, usually does not have the aroma of a whole food store but did for this particular weekend, was buzzing with thousands of like minded individuals seeking knowledge and- let's just come right out and say it- they were there for the gratis loot!

-Genevieve

Click here to read more about 2009 DC Green Festival™

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fresh new look... same superior standards

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:57:23 -0500

Northern Virginia's first and fabulous green realty company has a new look on their website! At first glance of the refreshingly simple and user friendly site, one would be amazed at all of the incredibly useful information that is so easily accessible at www.ArbourRealty.com! From the homepage, you can do an in-depth home search, check out relevant real estate news, and contact Arbour all at the click of the mouse. You can even follow the community news via their posts on Twitter and Facebook, or check out the latest and greatest on the blog. Know what is absolutely fabulous?! Arbour Realty posts their preferred vendor list! How awesome is it that you can hop on their site and utilize it as not only your one stop realty shop, but also as a valuable resource and research tool?! Arbour Realty loves to educate their community and it shows in their updated site.

This new site is easy on the eyes and down to earth, just like the team and their ideals. There they go again, staying true to their essence. The new site offers simple, straightforward information at the end of your internet connection. Take a look for yourself- remember to read their story and get familiar with the whole team: www.arbourrealty.com.

-Genevieve

Click here to learn more about Green Real Estate.

Popcorn for Packing!

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:33:31 -0500

Last week I was having a conversation with a friend who is currently living in Turkey. She is worried about sending gifts home for the holidays without them being broken. Like me she is concerned with environmental issues and the impact that our everyday decisions have on Mother Earth’s well-being.

Click on the following link to read further about Popcorn for Packing.

Power to Choose Green Power in Virginia

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:01:13 -0500

Dominion Power now allows you to support renewable energy. By simply filling out a form with Dominion Power you will be ensuring that green energy is delivered directly to the grid.

Dominion’s Green Power option works simple by Dominion purchasing Renewable Energy Credits (REC) in the amount that the Virginia Dominion customer specifies.

Department of Defense Going Green

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:12:34 -0500

The Department of Defense is the nations largest consumer of energy. So it is no surprise that in a time when environmental issues are paramount that they need to start making some energy efficiency changes.

An impressive solar-energy array at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., is saving money for the Air Force and decreasing the service’s reliance on fossil fuels.

Click on the following link to read more about DoD Going Green.

Click here to learn about Green Real Estate.

Floating Sustainable House that Generates its own Power

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:25:27 -0500

As global warming continues and water levels rise, more and more homes will become displaced, or threaten by water damage due to hurricanes. This is also a major problem for homes located in areas such as New Orleans, and other low level cities on coastal areas prone to hurricanes and tropical storms.

Click on the following to link to read more about Floating Sustainable Houses.

Click here to learn more about Green Real Estate.

Australian Town Bans the Sale of Water Bottles.

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:16:36 -0500

Water bottles have received much criticism, they are frankly a waste of resources, environmentally unfriendly and fill landfill sites. Using a reusable bottle seems to make more environmental, financial and health conscious sense.

Click on the following link to read about the Ban of Water Bottles.

Click here to learn more about Green Real Estate

Federal Tax Credits and Virginia Rebates For Energy Efficient Home Improvements

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:42:07 -0500

As promised, our CPAs, Kositzka, Wicks & Company have lent their expert advice and today’s blog includes details of the federal tax credits and Virginia rebates that await taxpayers who make energy-efficient improvements to their properties.

New Expanded Federal Credits:

Up to $1,500 Credit for Qualified Energy-Efficient Home Improvements in 2009 and 2010

For improvements to your principal residence (expenses incurred building a new home do not qualify for this credit) located in the U.S. placed in service in 2009 and 2010
30% of qualified expenditures up to a maximum total cumulative credit of $1,500
Qualified Energy-Efficient Home Improvements include the following if the improvements also meet specific energy-efficient guidelines noted below:
- Metal and Asphalt Roofs
- Insulation
- Exterior Windows (including skylights) and Doors
- HVAC
- Water Heaters

30% Credit for Qualified Residential Solar Water Heaters, Geothermal Heat Pumps, Wind Energy Property, and Solar Electric Generating Property

For improvements to your residence located in the U.S. placed in service through 2016 (second homes qualify for this credit)
30% of the equipment’s cost (including onsite labor costs) with no capped limit.
Expenditures related to swimming pools or hot tubs (e.g., solar equipment to heat water or run electrical pumps) do not qualify for this credit

In Order to Claim the Federal Tax Credits

One must have a Manufacturer Certification Statement
- Before making energy-efficient improvements to your home, check to see if the manufacturer has certified the products as qualifying for the energy tax credit
- You can also go to energystar.gov/taxcredits for information on whether your planned improvements will qualify for the credit

Just Announced - Virginia Rebates

Virginia Energy-Efficiency Rebate Program

For qualified energy-efficient products and equipment purchases made after June 25, 2009
Rebates will be distributed on a first-come-first-served basis. $15 million is dedicated to this rebate program
Residential consumers are eligible to receive up to $2,000 per household and up to $250 of the cost of having an energy audit conducted by a certified energy auditor.
Commercial consumers are eligible to receive a maximum of $4,000, but not to exceed 20% of the total cost.
Virginians can also receive For a list of qualified purchases and to sign up to be notified when applications are available visit the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy (DMME) website http://www.dmme.virginia.gov/eerebates.shtml.

Renewable Energy Rebate Program

For installation of renewable energy generation systems, such as solar or wind systems, made after June 25, 2009. $15 million is dedicated to this rebate program
Rebates are based on capacity of the generating system, for example:
- Residential consumers can receive rebates for $2,000 per kilowatt of the photovoltaic system up to 10 kilowatts in size. Residential and commercial consumers can receive a $1,000 per kilowatt rebate for solar hot water systems.

For additional information on the tax credits and rebates contact your tax adviser.

Kositzka, Wicks & Company (KWC), certified public accountants, is located in Alexandria, Virginia. Formed in 1983, KWC was founded with a commitment to provide quality, personal service in a timely manner. For over 25 years, the staff has grown to more than fifty people, all dedicated to this founding principle. Visit us at www.kwccpa.com.

Circular 230 Disclaimer: Any tax advice contained in the body of this material was not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by the recipient for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code or applicable state or local tax law provision

10 Ways To Green Your Home Sale or Purchase

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:59:21 -0500

More and more buyers and sellers are adding environmental features to their buying and selling criteria. Arbour Realty is the first environmentally friendly real estate company in Northern Virginia and has created the following list to help buyers and sellers green their home sale or purchase.

1. Utility Records
Selling: Ask your utility company to provide you with the last 24 months of utility records. You can mark out the account number and provide the report as part of the information booklet at your listing. This will help potential buyers understand the monthly costs involved in owning this particular home. Without this information, buyers may over-estimate the monthly utility costs.

Buying: Ask your agent to request the last 24 months of utility records from the sellers. Remember to take into consideration that homeowners have varying degrees to which they use energy. Sometimes they can be provided in electronic format.

2. EcoBroker or NAR Green Designation
Selling: You may want to seek a Realtor that can provide you with suggestions for how to prepare your home for sale in a way that will attract buyers conscious of saving money on utility bills, indoor air quality, improved comfort and environmental impact.

Buying: EcoBrokers and NAR Green Designees are trained on energy efficiency and cost savings of proper insulation, windows, appliances, heating and cooling systems and other home features that affect your comfort and your energy bills. Their network of green professionals can help you improve environmental aspects of a home including indoor air quality and ventilation.

3. Public Transportation
Selling: Provide a list and possibly a map of the local public transportation options for the home you are selling. This is one way of adding value to your home without having to spend a single penny.

Buying: Ask your Realtor to help you find the local public transportation options. Below are a few good places to start.

Alexandria - www.dashbus.com
Arlington - www.commuterpage.com/art
Fairfax - www.fairfaxva.gov
Falls Church City - www.fallschurchva.gov
Washington Metropolitan Area - www.wmata.com

4. Walk Score
Selling: Show potential buyers how walkable the area is where you home is located. You can input your address at www.walkscore.com and print out the results to leave behind for buyers. Or, save paper and include a link to your walk score in all of your web marketing.

Buying: When comparing homes it is helpful to input the address into www.walkscore.com and find out how walkable the communities are. You will also learn about local shopping options, parks, schools and workplaces.

5. Photos or Video Tour
Selling: We highly recommend providing an abundance of visual aids to go along with your listing. When evaluating listings agents for your home, ask about their plan to provide photos and/or video tours of your property. It will help your home stand out and is more likely to be considered by potential buyers.

6. Home Energy Audit & Green Living Consultation
Selling: If you have a home that is energy efficient and/or has features that improve the air quality, this may be a good way to showcase your investment. Home buyers are becoming more and more savvy when it comes to understanding the benefits of a home with green features so why not provide them with a third-party evaluation to back-up your claims.

Buying: A home energy audit will help you discover the areas of the home where you can get the largest energy efficiency gains and improve the air quality and comfort of the home. A green living consultation can help lead you in the direction of making choices that will benefit you and the planet.

7. HOA & Condominium Disclosure Documents
Selling: Most home owners association and condominium associations now offer the condo disclosure package in electronic format. It saves paper and is easier to distribute. Check with your association to see if they are offering electronic format yet. If not, they may just need a little nudge from you.

Buying: When filling out the Virginia Jurisdictional Addendum you and your agent have the opportunity to select that you prefer the HOA or condominium disclosure package to be delivered in electronic format. By simply checking this box, you are saving hundreds of pages of paper and saving yourself a trip to pick up the package.

8. Paperless Contracts
Buying & Selling: You can save hundreds of pages of paper and countless trips to meet your Realtor by using electronic signatures. This is an inexpensive option that your Realtor can choose to use. Electronic signatures are easy to use, secure and legally binding. They also help preserve the readability of the contract.

9. Preparing the Home For Sale
Selling: Many homes need a little freshening up before they are ready to go on the market. Why not make choices that will improve the air quality, energy efficiency or minimize your carbon footprint? Below are three suggestions to get you started on the right track.

* Simply using no-VOC paint will eliminate the offensive and potentially harmful odors left behind when painting the interior of your home.
* If you need to replace an appliance or HVAC system, look for a replacement that is EnergyStar certified.
* If you need to modernize your kitchen or bath, consider earth-friendly options for your counters, cabinets and plumbing.

10. Pick The Most Efficient Route
Buying: Whether you are enjoying a Sunday afternoon visiting open houses or getting ready to go out with your Realtor to see the homes you have narrowed down, it makes sense to follow the most efficient route between the homes you are visiting. Save time, gas and pollute less. There is a free online tool that you can use to enter the addresses you will be visiting and it will plan the most efficient route for you: http://www.idealroute.com/

To learn more about green real estate, please visit ArbourRealty.com

Wind Power for Businesses and Homes

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:01:08 -0500

Wind power is a renewable form of energy, produces no carbon emissions, and is not likely to run out anytime in the future. In an earlier blog I shared with you all the idea of creating your own home or residential energy by installing a wind turbine. Wind turbines are perfect for certain areas but may not be so ideal for a metropolitan area, plus they also require an initial investment and can come up against opposition.

Click on the following link to read more about Wind Power for Businesses and Homes

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Virginia's $250 Energy Audit Rebate

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:30:58 -0500

Today’s news seems very fitting with the blog I wrote last week ‘Meet Chris Your Local Energy Auditor’, which identified the benefits of a home energy audit. In last weeks blog, I highlighted the following as the main reasons for conducting a home energy audit: improving air quality, saving money on energy bills, increasing comfort, mitigating moisture problems, and reducing your carbon footprint.

If the above reasons were not a big enough incentive to schedule a home energy audit, I think the following exciting news from Virginia DMME’s Division of Energy should seal the deal.

Click here to read more about Virginia's $250 Energy Audit Rebate

Click on the following link to view Green Real Estate

October Sales Tax Holiday is Environmentally Focused.

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:35:57 -0500

October Sales Tax Holiday normally makes me think about clothing, back to school items but not normally environmentally friendly products. Well that is exactly what this October Sales Tax Holiday covers, this October Sales Tax holiday features tax exemption on Energy Star and WaterSense Qualified Products.

Read more about the October Sales Tax Holiday.

Check out Northern Virginia Home

Empty Nest. Figuratively. Not literally.

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:05:28 -0500

My husband and I got married in April and we used that cutesie little website theknot.com. Apparently, after we were married, the website converted automatically to thenest.com so that we could be kept in their ever evolving loop to the masses of people who feed into their articles and what have you. The interesting thing is that every once in a while, I get a little email from thenest.com sharing a fun tidbit of information targeted at the newly wed looking to nest. Ha. I guess I am one of the masses. Yes, I fed into their strategy and poked around on their site this afternoon because I had a moment of lapsed concentration or weakness. Or something.

Click here to read more about the Empty Nest

Find out more about Green Real Estate.

Meet Chris Your Local Home Energy Auditor

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 02:53:10 -0500

During the month of October, Arbour Realty has teamed up with Chris Conway to give away a free home energy audit to a home owner or future home owner in Northern Virginia. To enter, just send and email to info@arbourrealty.com with Green Gobbler in the subject line.

Working at Arbour Realty, I hear about home energy audits quite a bit, but was curious as to what exactly they entailed and the benefits a home owner should expect to receive. To answer these questions I had the opportunity to speak with Chris Conway (aka The Green Gobbler) President of Conway Construction, LLC, who specializes in home energy auditing and green building.

Chris has an extensive background in building but wanted to focus on the next generation of high performance home building and optimizing energy efficiency. Chris studied at Southface Energy Institute and became a Certified Home Energy Rater through Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET). He then partnered with EarthCraft House Virginia, a regional authority of green building. Since its inception in 1999 over 500 homes have been certified under the EarthCraft House Virginia program and typically can save upwards of 30% in energy efficiency savings.

A typical home energy audit costs between $450-$600, and what I really wanted to know was what kind of savings a homeowner could see from making this initial investment. Chris demonstrated to me that most improvements are very low cost with a great rate of return. They can easily be done by a homeowner with a little get up and go. For example, even in 2009 in a time when environmental issues are at the forefront of many people's mind, it is estimated that 90-95% of builders do not consider air leakage when building new homes. During the energy audit if air leakage is identified it can be rectified for as little as $300 and this alone can save around $200-$300 a year in energy costs. Chris described other energy saving measures that can be implemented as a result of the energy audit which have significant long term financial savings, and which would pay for the initial audit in less than a year.

Chris recently performed a home energy audit for Ross Atkinson, a home owner in Alexandria Virginia. Ross described the audit as "eye opening, fun, and incredibly educational with practical solutions for today and insight to longer term opportunities. Truly motivating!"

Chris explains that the single most important benefit of a home energy audit is the homeowner education. Too many homeowners don't understand the importance of a tight building envelope and its long term return on investment. I wasn’t surprised when Chris stated that when most people think about energy efficiency they think about appliances, but according to the Department of Energy only 9% of your total energy bill comes from appliance usage, whereas 43% comes from heating and cooling. With the right information you are empowered to make decisions that will provide the biggest bang for the buck.

According to Chris, energy efficiency is the foundation towards reaching your overall goal when building a green home. Energy efficient homes are estimated to cost around 3-5% more to build, but depending on which building standards the home is built under it can save the owner between 15- 30% in energy savings.

Chris recommends an energy audit for anyone interested in making home improvements, improving air quality, saving money on energy bills, increasing comfort, mitigating moisture problems, or reducing your carbon footprint. During our conversation he mentioned a startling fact that recent EPA data states 1 in 5 families have a member with respiratory problems and a typical home can actually have up to 3 to 4 times more contaminates on the inside compared to the outside. This could explain why a large percentage of today’s children seem to have allergies and breathing issues. A simple home energy audit can address these types of environmental issues.

After my discussion with Chris, it seems to make smart financial sense to invest in a home energy audit. Naturally finding a good auditor is important. Some energy auditors are happy to conduct the audit, tell you that your home is not energy efficient and then walk away with your money leaving you dazed and confused. A good auditor like Chris Conway will spend the time to explain what changes need to be made and educate you on the efficiency of your home.

Chris hopes to see building codes improve within the next 3 years, becoming more focused on environment standards and energy efficiency. He also predicts that through education the home owner will have higher expectations and will not buy from builders who do not convey. It is time for everyone to pay close attention to where their hard earned dollars are going.

My conversation with Chris was very enlightening, I appreciate him taking the time out of his busy day to educate me on the basics of a home energy audit, and now I completely understand why home energy efficiency and the future of green building is his passion.

-Lisa Tsoupelis

Contact Chris Conway for information about home energy audits and EarthCraft House Virginia standards.

*The Green Gobbler*
Conway Construction, LLC
M: 540-818-2437
F: 866-786-2609
Web: www.conwaygreenconstruction.com

Buying Organic and Natural Doesn’t Have to be Expensive.

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:08:09 -0500

Organic and natural products on average do seem to be more expensive compared to other non organic and natural brands. As much as we all care about the environment and the quality of the food we eat, we also have to consider our pocketbooks.

In the last year I have noticed that more supermarkets are starting to introduce their own store brand of organic and natural products, which seem in general to be more competitively priced. Back 10 years ago my mother would of never considered buying store name brands, due to the lower quality stereotype. These days most store brand products are of the same quality as that of well known brands.

Therefore, next time you are debating the price of a organic or natural product over a standard non eco-friendly product, take a few minutes to investigate whether the store offers it own brand. I have also noticed that name brand companies are also starting to offer organic and natural products, and a majority of the time there is not much of a price difference. Detergents, cleaning products, canned items, dairy, fresh produce are all available. Buying these store brand organic & natural products not only helps save the environment, improves the quality of the food you eat and is kind to your wallet.

Lisa Tsoupelis

Thinking About Becoming An EcoBroker?

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:23:22 -0500

As you may know, I am a proud member of the EcoBroker®™ designation program. Like you, I am truly committed to helping clients get the information they need to make the best real estate decisions. Now, more than ever, this includes the green information home buyers and sellers need to save money, live comfortably and improve the future of our environment. Together, we can make a huge impact. Please take a moment to learn more about the award-winning EcoBroker designation below and why it is a great choice for your business, community and future.

EcoBroker is the premier provider of green designation training for real estate professionals. Take advantage of EcoBroker's 18-hour online training curriculum and all of the membership services and business building techniques. Benefit from:
•Knowledge on green topics in real estate via EcoBroker's award-winning curriculum (continuing education credit available in many states)
•Increased market exposure including your own web page on EcoBroker.com and use of recognized EcoBroker®/Ecosociate™ trademarks
•Expertise to assist your clients when buying or selling properties with green features or with green home renovations

Help clients market properties with green features, save money, and live comfortably through energy efficiency and environmentally-sensitive choices.

Use the code EBGALLEGOES to enroll for $50 off, starting today! Online classes only.

Learn about the EcoBroker®/Ecosociate™ Designation's award-winning curriculum and program benefits, http://www.ecobroker.com/director.aspx?code=EBGALLEGOES

Green Home Features Separate These New Houses From The Crowd In Arlington VA

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:19:13 -0500

A Modern Oasis in the Heart Of Arlington Virginia

You may have driven by the latest creations of Advantage Properties and admired the exterior finishes without giving thought to the oasis that has been created inside. These magnificently constructed green-built homes have all of the modern conveniences that a luxury home-buyer would expect with the added bonus of having a tiny carbon footprint- comparably speaking.

Both homes are built to exceed the standards for EarthCraft House and Arlington Green Home Choice. EarthCraft is a regional program that serves as a blueprint for healthy comfortable homes that reduce utility bills and protect the environment. According to EarthCraft, their program follows a systems approach to home building that stresses an understanding of how the different components of a home work together. This approach results in a home that performs better, is more economical for the homeowner and costs little more to build than a comparable home built with standard construction practices. Arlington Green Home Choice is a similar program created specifically for homes within Arlington County.

Builder, Barry Seymour and his team of professionals built 4211 and 4215 North 15th Street in a darling corner of Waverly Hills with the grand idea of highly sustainable and beautifully luxurious single family homes for any DC Metro family who wanted the location, amenities and quality construction that only his team could provide. A quick walk to the Ballston Metro, wonderful family-owned shops and boutiques; this home is in a great walkable neighborhood with an eclectic blend of culture and confidence that makes a well established area.

You could stand at the front window of these homes looking out to the hustle and bustle of 66 below, but not hear a sound. It is a beautiful thing. The reason is that these homes are fully wrapped and insulated with R-3 ½ structural insulated sheathing for increased insulation making the homes breathable, yet oh-so-quite. This insulation prevents thermal bridging and heat loss which in turn increases comfort and prevents drafts and air leakage into the home. The walls, ceilings and attic have also been densely packed with blown-in cellulose insulation. This creates a tighter building envelope for the home and increased efficiency and comfort while aiding in the decrease of noise pollution. Remember that the reduction of noise and light pollution are elements of green design. The other beautiful thing about the insulation is that these homes are not going to leak that precious cool air in the summer, or the glowing warmth of the heater in the winter. These homes are sealed and ready to save some lucky home owners some major bucks when running the HVAC system.

Let’s talk technology. Each of these homes is a tight ship. It almost feels like you have walked into a command center, lights are blinking indicating smooth sailing… the water heater, all of the low-voltage stereo and home automation systems as well as the HVAC and air purification systems are housed in the walk-out basement's control room of the home, which is where all of these items are stored and maintained. The healthy lifestyle brought to you by these homes would not be complete without the amazing air purification system that truly allows for the homeowner to breath easy. The homes are equipped with a airplus certified vent system that is timer controlled in the garage to deter any noxious gases from entering the homes through the garage. The ERV energy recovery ventilations system pumps stale air out of the homes and pulls in fresh air for a consistently fresh and clean air supply; this system is set to cycle about eight times a day. The home’s RenewAire EV300 HVI certified system is a high quality system that houses a four inch pleated media filter to catch all pollen, dander and floating particles that any other filter would pass right back through for everyone to breathe in. I was told not to look into the light… the ultra violet filter attached to the Guardian air purification system reduces odors, air pollutants and kills bacteria, viruses and mold in the air before cycling it back into the home. This gives healthy living a whole new meaning! The 15+ SEER top of the line Carrier system has been duct tested to ensure that the HVAC is the correct amount of conditioning for the thermal envelope, or the conditioned space. This means that the air conditioner is not “too much for the house” and that the homeowner will be running the machine at top efficiency and with little to no leakage within the actual home. The result is a heating and cooling system that is over 50% more efficient then you would find in comparable homes. Of course, both homes are outfitted with top of the line programmable thermostats.

In the mid morning light, every room is bathed in a sunglow. None of the lights are on in the house, but you have a perfect light in all of the rooms with windows. What is the meaning of this? The home has been positioned on the lot for the maximum use of sunlight, but allowing for the proper shading during the glaring mid-day sun. This is a design technique that is used in green building to ensure that homeowners can take full advantage of the daylight and save on energy. As the glow passes through the low-e windows, you can see the modern twist on Arts and Crafts styling through the larger scale trim details at the base, door surrounds, thresholds and moldings. Even the light fixtures in their brushed nickel glory shine through in true Arts and Crafts style. The fixtures exude the craftsman design touches with period architectural detailing such as the coffered ceilings, wainscoting and thickly stylized base moldings. The homes are painted in light and bright neutral tones and typically, the lighter the color, you guessed it, the lower the volatile organic compounds or VOCs we hear about so much. This means that there is less toxic fume associated with the products used to finish the homes.

The interior finishes scream of the luxury one would expect homes of this caliber, it almost makes you forget that you’re walking through a home that is 38% more efficient than the same home built to current Building Code in Virginia. The oak hardwoods wrap the entire main and second floors as well as a beautifully crafted stairway that leads to the basement, as well. Part of having a home that is designed for healthy living is allowing for the home to have at least 80% of the flooring to be hard surfaced. Both 15th Street homes achieve this with the oak hardwoods as well as the travertine in all of the bathrooms. The master suite's spa bathroom draw your attention with modern and clean neutral color palette of travertine in a herringbone pattern on the floor which leads to an oversized infiniti bathtub, or a glass enclosed full shower experience with multiple rainheads and shower tiles. The glass enclosure to the shower is about six inches shy of being a steam shower, but it is truly awe inspiring. Leaving the master suite, to view the four other bedrooms and three and a half other baths, this home is healthy living with modern comfort kept in mind. No luxury home would be complete without a gourmet kitchen. The builders had a chef in mind with the beautiful Wolf appliance package and Sub Zero refrigerators. The kitchens gleam with granite. The hard surface is both beautiful and functional. Like the rest of the home’s cabinetry, the kitchens have Arts and Crafts style cabinets made by a vendor who is environmentally friendly.

When you aren’t enjoying the great living space inside, you can set out into the large backyard which is complete with two outdoor living spaces. From the main level, a deck entirely constructed of the environmentally friendly Trex and Aztek trim boards, maintenance free and incredibly durable product which will not rot like wood, allows for a tree top view of the yard and space to relax and enjoy the outdoors from just a step away from the kitchen and main entertaining area. Access to the covered outdoor living area is available from two sets of French paned doors in the walk out basement; not only does this add livable square footage to the home, but also a sense of bringing the outdoors in with these two additional living areas which allow the homeowner to enjoy their investment in the city.

The Arts and Crafts nature of the homes are completed outside with HardiePlank siding which is super durable and easy to maintain. The roof is a combination of metal and fiberglass which are again, incredibly durable and are rated at a fifty year life, in lieu of the typical thirty year that one would see with a composite roof system. Gutters lead the water run-off away from the home, but if the homeowner wants to step it up a notch and harvest the water for irrigation or even possible storage and purification, a cistern could easily be added to the over-sized lot. The landscaping is in a more traditional style, but is still holding true to the sustainability factor with native Virginia plants peppered along the front deck and curb. The paver drive adds character and also allows for proper water drainage. The pavers were utilized on the back downstairs patio, too. Custom carriage garage doors complete the Arts and Crafts look of the homes from the outside; when you roll into your garage, you can shut the door remember that the health of air inside of the home is protected by layers of purification systems and a smarter home.

Sometimes it feels like a solid home that is energy efficient, comfortable and packed full of the modernity that everyone strives for these days is out of reach, but it isn’t. You can find it on the edge of Ballston along North 15th Street.

2009 Washington DC Green Festival

Adam Gallegos (Arbour Realty) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:03:46 -0500

October 10th through the 11th, Washington DC welcomes back the sixth annual Green Festival™, a joint project of Global Exchange and Green America.

Built on the strong foundation of environmental conservation and education, Green Festival™ is the nation’s largest green affair which can claim the bragging rights as a zero-waste event! With the Green Festival™ project, Global Exchange has the vision to create “people-centered globalization that values the rights of workers and the health of the planet; that prioritizes international collaboration as central to ensuring peace; and that aims to create a local, green economy designed to embrace the diversity of our communities.” And nearly three decades into Green America’s initiative, they are still standing steadfast to their commitment to “work on issues of social justice and environmental responsibility” by educating the masses through events and programs such as this year’s Green Festival™. How much more passionate can you get about your global family?!

Read more about 2009 Washington DC Green Festival .

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