Window Cleaner

1/4 cup white vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent, 2 cups water combined in a bottle.  Shake to mix.

Unclog Drains

Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda in and around the drain opening.  Follow with a cup of white vinegar. Flush with boiling water.  Repeat if necessary.

Earth Advantage is a Portland based organization that acts as a third-party rating organization for new and existing homes.  It sets the bar in four different categories so that builders and re-modelers have guidance in creating homes that provide the greatest comfort, enjoyment, durability and health while providing the least output of energy and pollution.    Earth Advantage uses four categories to rate their homes, and they are:

1)  Indoor Air Quality-Promoting a healthy indoor environment as people spend more than 90% of their time indoors.  Ventilation and filtration of the air is key. 

2)  Energy Efficiency-Do the appliances and home use energy in the most efficient way possible and still provide comfort and reduce costs?  Earth Advantage homes use Energy Star appliances and also stress the whole system of the home and its orientation to save energy.  This includes correct insulation, installation of CFL light bulbs, and even the position of the home toward the sun if possible.  Southern exposure, for example, helps to heat the home in the Winter, and if the roof shades well in the summer it eliminates a lot of the captured heat and uses less energy to cool.  All third party organizations conduct blower door tests to determine the energy efficiency of a home before certification.

3) Resource Utilization-Using the least amount of resources in the construction or remodeling of a home.  Are the materials of high quality and are they durable?  The cost of the material over its lifetime is the most important aspect.  Green materials that last are more important than those that might save money initially but will have to be replaced later.  Can the home utilize rainwater or sunlight by collecting it and using it in the overall system of the home?  These are some of the issues that are examined.

4)  Environmental Impact-Are the materials used easily replaced naturally and is the process to produce the product harmful to the environment?  For example, bamboo is a great product because it grows quickly and easily but most bamboo is imported from Asia.  The impact of the delivery on the environment does not yet make this a completely ‘green” product.  The goal of the Earth Advantage home is to have zero negative impact.

This is an overview of the organization, and I invite you to learn more by visiting their website.  It is a different organization than LEED, and uses different ratings and criteria for certification.  Regardless of the differences or similarities, Earth Advantage is one of the leaders in third party certification for “green” homes.

Many people searching for a home are not aware of the green features that are prevalent in today’s market.  My job as a Realtor, among many others, is to educate the client on the specific amenities of my listings, or in a home that they are viewing.  My research into green building has led me to offer some unique perspectives on properties in Portland to my clients.  The exciting part is that I am seeing more and more green features in new construction and remodeled homes here in Portland. 

The reporter in the article quotes me as saying that “my customers are not looking for green built homes”.  Well, that is not completely true.  Buyers are primarily looking at price, location, and style of home as their main priorities.  That is just a function of the economics of the situation.  A buyer has to look within their price range in the location where they want to live and the style of home that they want to live in.  Nobody is going to live in a green constructed home if they can’t afford it, or its location and style don’t appeal to their interests.  Many people just have not had the luxury of choosing a green home.  The exciting thing is that this choice is no longer a luxury for many people here in Portland, its becoming more of a reality!

 I recently finished working on a transaction for one of the first Vargas Greenan homes in Portland, OR.  Why is this so special?  Well, sustainability is a big buzzword in home construction these days.  I have been interested in sustainable building since my wife and I purchased our home in the Hawthorne area a few years back.  Many of the materials were reclaimed or sustainable such as the trim wood and the bamboo floors, the paint is recycled paint, and the heating system is highly efficient in floor radiant heating.  We were attracted to these details, and at the time had never seen anything like them.  We are now started to see more homes that are incorporating some of these qualities popping up in the Portland area. 

 The Vargas Greenan design is special because it is a design that was made specifically for new, sustainable construction.  This design was one of the winners of a Living Smart Design Competition from 2004.  This Living Smart Program “arose from growing neighborhood concerns about single-dwelling infill development on 25 foot lots”.  Thousands of people are moving to Portland, OR for the quality of life, the proximity to nature, great restaurants and stable housing market.  For people looking for a home, these smaller lots and houses offer the opportunity to live closer to the city while still being affordable.  They are also interesting to look at and are meant to be constructed using green practices.  Many of these homes will be Earth Advantage Certified.  Regardless of the small lots, these homes are spacious, beautiful, and full of light. 

The home I helped my clients purchase has many of the features that new home buyers are looking for today.  Some of the included features are granite counter tops, custom cabinetry, plush carpeting and new tile, and a landscaped private yard.  This home was also Earth Advantage certified and included an air filtration/circulation system, energy-efficient windows, new bamboo flooring, and energy efficient appliances.  The most striking feature is the 20 ft wall of windows in the living room!  Some people love them, some people don’t, what do you think?

The energy efficiency category includes the usual suspects of energy efficient windows, lights, appliances, etc.  These are all examples of items that people do desire because of the fact that they end up saving the homeowner money in the future.The indoor air quality category speaks for itself, and entices builders and homeowners to use air filtration systems and low toxic materials to create a healthier indoor environment.  The Environmental responsibility and resource efficiency categories are promoting recycling and the usage of recycled/reclaimed materials during the construction of the home to lessen the negative impact on our environment.

The process of constructing a new home goes through 6 stages and includes : Plan Review, Determining Materials and Methods, Consultation, Walk-Through, Performance Testing, and Certification.  The stages are all described on the website.  I am impressed by the way the builders and Earth advantage specialists are working together through the whole process.  It seems that education is the most important aspect in promoting “green” building, and this process seems to make it easy.  A builder would just need to have the will or incentive to build “green”, and they need to contact the agency for further help.  This is a win-win situation, because its easy for the builder and a benefit for the eventual buyer.

The remodel process is just as easy.  They use the same criteria, yet the homeowner initiates the contact by contacting a certified remodeler.  They then define the scope of their project, select the “green” features, have the contractor submit for approval, and then receive your certificate.

There is a lot to learn and I am interested in learning about the process through more research.  Searching for “green” real estate in Portland has become very easy, by the way.  The local multiple listing service has a search for Realtor to seek “green” certified homes.  Keep in mind, this is pretty new, so there isn’t a large quantity of homes out there.  However, there are many homes that are close to qualifying, but just have not gone through the process.  They also might have been built before these certifications existed. 

Thanks for any new websites or sources of information that you might pass on to me and my readers!

The best part about LEED certification is that it sets a standard for builders.  It also educates the construction industry and public about ways to make your home or project more Green.  People do care about the energy efficiency of their homes and the water conservation aspects of their home because it hits them right in the wallet.  On the other hand, establishing and maintaining air quality in your home is a topic that most people would be interested in, but few people actively think about.  The fact that organizations such as the USGBC do establish a benchmark and do care about the discussion really helps to bring these topics into the minds of the people making homes or remodeling homes.