West Coast Green: Green Real Estate Industry

One of the lectures I attended at West Coast Green focused on marketing and financing green real estate. What is the real estate industry doing with regard to green real estate? Chris Bartle, Founder and President of Green Key Real Estate, http://www.greenkeyrealestate.com/Green_Key_Real_Estate/ answered this question for the group.

The Build It Green Real Estate Council http://www.builditgreen.org/guild/index.cfm?fuseaction=realestate is working on a green MLS which would include green home ratings and thus distinguish the "green homes" from the other homes listed. A 2008 launch in select cities is planned. Industry groups are also working on instituting or increasing current local energy efficiency ordinances so that homeowners would receive credits when installing energy and water conservation items in their homes. San Francisco and Berkeley currently have such an ordinance and there's concerted effort to increase the amount from its current $1300 level. Additionally, Ecobroker http://www.ecobroker.com/ is a national training and certification program for green real estate agents and brokers. Currently there are 725 Ecobrokers in 42 states. Its website allows interested parties to locate certified Ecobrokers in their area.

There appears to be a critical mass of real estate firms who are integrating a "green" component to their existing business. And San Francisco happens to have the first realty in the Bay Area founded solely to serve the green real estate market. This firm, Green Key Real Estate, has plans to franchise nationally in the upcoming year which will most likely spur even more green activity in the industry.