The Hoots Group is a Platinum sponsor of the Ecobroker program and supports all of the local Ecobrokers who are trying to get out the green word. We get asked to contribute information for their newsletters, websites, blogs, clients etc and are willing to do so since they are promoting green building and getting clients to think more sustainably.
We were able to assist one Ecobroker that we work to help one of her clients that wanted to make Home Performance upgrades. This team of green businesses working together is what is going to keep green strong in 2009. I have not seem any green business complain about the economy. They have been focused on the green.
Here is a short piece that I wrote for a local Ecobroker in her newsletter (Caroline King’s MARKET WATCH!)
Going Green in your home (PART I)
“Congratulations if you are one of the few who has a home built to some green standard. You are able to relax in a home that is more comfortable, energy efficient and that doesn’t make you sick. If you have a house that was not built to green standards such as Energy Star, EarthCraft House of LEED for Homes, all hope is not lost. There are still programs available to help you GO GREEN within your existing house. Most houses have room for improvement even if they are only a few years old. If you have a house that is not very energy efficient, has bad indoor air quality, is not comfortable, or is wasting water, there are easy things to fix when you are renovating your home.
Renovation programs:
EarthCraft House (our local green building standard) has a program that is adapted to existing homes. The program is called EarthCraft House Remodel. It takes the same green guidelines that new home builders must follow (that are in the program) and allows renovators to build green also. This is the best program when it comes to making green upgrades during a renovation. If you are just renovating a kitchen, bathroom, or doing a major house renovation by adding on or up, this program gives you guidelines to follow that are specific to your house.
If you are not planning to renovate there is another program called Home Performance with Energy Star that allows you to go green without having to add on or deconstruct your home. It starts out with an assessment from a qualified inspector. You will receive a prioritized checklist for solutions that are specific to your home and your immediate concerns. The contract work is typically noninvasive and can help your house become more balanced and operate more efficiently.
Here is a copy of her full newsletter. She has some houses for sale in neighborhoods where we do a lot of work. If you are interested in buying one of these, we can work with you to greenovate it!
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