Surina Hart, Quinte Real Estate Broker Royal LePage | MLS listings for Belleville, Brighton, Cramahe, Quinte West, Trenton & Prince Edward County

Royal LePage Goes Green

Monday, Nov. 12 2007  |  Posted by: Surina  |  0 comments

Royal LePage goes green with the launch of the new partnership with the National Association of Green Agents & Brokers (NAGAB).

About National Association of Green Agents and Brokers. The National Association of Green Agents and Brokers (NAGAB) is Canada's largest non-profit association of real estate agents committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The association's Greenrealestate^TM curriculum provides an education and certification program for real estate agents. Through the association's innovative offerings, real estate agents promote the benefits of energy conservation to their buyers and sellers. The National Association of Green Agents and Brokers has over 15,000 affiliate members coast-to-coast and boasts support from major corporate and government sponsors. For more information visit www.nagab.org.

 
Through various education courses endorsed by the Ministry of Energy, Royal LePage real estate agents are now being trained by NAGAB to assess environmental elements within a home and identify properties that adhere to green standards.

To officially kick off the NAGAB partnership, The Royal LePage Eco Home Survey, which examines the attitudes and opinions of Canadians with respect to green living, was released to media on October 30th, 2007.

Ecologically Friendly, Economically Smart - Green is the New Gold Standard for Outfitting a Home

Royal LePage Eco Home Survey finds 88 per cent of Canadians want green qualities in their home

TORONTO, October 30, 2007 - Green friendly home improvements will likely yield a solid return on investment come selling time as almost three quarters of Canadians (72%) say they will look for a green-improved property in their next home purchase, and 63 per cent will be willing to pay more for an environmentally friendly home, according to the Royal LePage Eco Home Survey released today.

The Royal LePage Eco Home Survey, which examines the attitudes and opinions of Canadians with respect to green living, found that Canadians are willing to pony up cash for greener home features. In fact, of the majority of Canadians who are willing to pay more for an eco home, 62 per cent are willing to pay between $5,000 and under $20,000, for green features, while eight per cent (8%) of respondents are willing to spend $20,000 or more on a home deemed green.

"The mood of Canadian home buyers and sellers is changing with the times - environmental concerns are impacting the decisions people are making about their dwellings. From simple energy conservation efforts to the more elaborate use of organic building materials, the environmentally conscious mindset that our agents are seeing in clients is not a passing trend," said Phil Soper, president and CEO, Royal LePage Real Estate Services. "To service this growing segment of the real estate market, we are pleased to launch our partnership with the National Association of Green Agents and Brokers (NAGAB) as well as the green accreditation program. This program will educate and empower our REALTORS® and brokers, as well as consumers on how to make eco-friendly decisions when it comes to the home."

Through various education courses funded in part by the Ministry of Energy, Royal LePage real estate agents will be trained by the National Association of Green Agents and Brokers to assess environmental elements within a home and identify properties that adhere to green standards. Royal LePage members who take the National Association of Green Agents and Brokers training will be easily identifiable though a special designation logo.

"Few people realize that residential, commercial and institutional buildings represent more than 33 per cent of our total greenhouse gas emissions," said Elden Freeman, National Association of Green Agents and Brokers founder and executive director. "While it is unreasonable to completely reduce carbon dioxide created by homes, there are various practices homeowners can implement, such as installing high-energy efficient windows, doors and insulation, high efficiency furnaces and appliances, and water-conserving fixtures such as shower heads and toilets that will significantly reduce negative effects on the environment."

While positive changes are occurring in the general population there is much work to be done. More than half (51%) of all survey respondents say they are very concerned about the environment and think we are in dire need of change some are not as quick to implement changes. When asked, "What is preventing you from making your home more green?" over half (54%) of respondents said it was too expensive to do, while 15 per cent said they have no idea where to start.

Added Soper: "Canadians need to know that going green can certainly be within their means and within their reach. There are many simple and affordable measures that can lead to big gains for the environment, and many of the practices can actually save homeowners money."

Small Steps for Big Change

When it comes to describing how green their current lifestyle is, 72 per cent of Canadians say they engage in traditional recycling practices. Making a difference can be as simple as implementing small environmentally friendly practices. The most popular green modifications that poll respondents already implement in their homes include switching from regular light bulbs to CFL light bulbs (74%), adding window and door sealers to prevent heat loss (61%) and switching to high efficiency washers and dryers and using low flow water fixtures (54%).....  read complete press release

 

provided by: Royal LePage Canada

Permalink  |  Posted in: Green Real Estate

---

Page 2 of 2 pages  <  1 2