1. Sustainable Housing and
Building Green
August 22, 2013
What Agents Should Know

2. Seminar Outline
1.Real Estate Licensees and Green
Building
2.Sustainable Building Concepts
3.Energy Audits

3. Learning Objectives
A.Summarize the ways that real estate licensees assist consumers by
resources and laying out options
B. Differentiate between sustainable and green building
C. Identify tipping points that have led to greater green awareness
D. Recognize that the federal government is not setting standards for
sustainable housing or building green
E. Explain the value of life cycle analysis when choosing green
materials
1. Real Estate Licensees and Green
Building

4. Overview
A. Impact of Buildings on the Environment
B. Real Estate Licensees Challenged to Better Assist
Consumers

7. Annual Energy Outlook 2013

9. Meeting Consumer Concerns
A. Licensee Roles
1. Licensee as Gate Keeper
2. Licensee as Educator
3. Licensee as Fiduciary

10. B. Dispelling Myths
1. Myth # 1: Green Building is Complicated
2. Myth #2: Consumers are not concerned with building green
3. Myth #3 : Green building is expensive
EPC’s – Energy Saving Performance Contracts
Integrative Design

11. Key Findings
American Institute of Architects
Nationwide Voter Survey 2009
Thinking about energy in the United States -- how would you
characterize the energy situation right now in this country? Would you
say that:
2009 2007
We are doing well 4 5
We are doing okay 17 19
We are having some problems 29 34
We are on the verge of a crisis 28 28
We are in an energy crisis 21 13
COMMENT: Voters see the energy problem more negatively than they did two
years ago, but not by large margins. Doing “well” and “okay” combined has
declined from 24% to 21% and “verge of a crisis” combined with “in an energy
crisis” has increased from 41% to 49%. All responses of a negative nature total
78% indicating that Americans believe that the energy situation is a problem of one
degree or another.

12. Key Findings
American Institute of Architects
Nationwide Voter Survey 2009
Thinking about energy in the United States -- how would you
characterize the energy situation right now in this country? Would you
say that:
2009 2007
We are doing well 4 5
We are doing okay 17 19
We are having some problems 29 34
We are on the verge of a crisis 28 28
We are in an energy crisis 21 13
COMMENT: Voters see the energy problem more negatively than they did two
years ago, but not by large margins. Doing “well” and “okay” combined has
declined from 24% to 21% and “verge of a crisis” combined with “in an energy
crisis” has increased from 41% to 49%. All responses of a negative nature total
78% indicating that Americans believe that the energy situation is a problem of one
degree or another.

13. Key Findings
American Institute of Architects
Nationwide Voter Survey 2009
Issue importance (10-point scale): 9s and 10s
2009 Mean 2009 2007 2004
Making U.S. less dependent on foreign oil 8.60 65 61 51
Controlling medical insurance costs 8.33 64 67
Protecting against air and water pollution 7.89 44 48 41*
Increasing # of energy efficient buildings 7.67 39 36
Holding down the price of gasoline 7.55 47 51
Controlling electricity and utility rates 7.51 41 46 47
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
that may cause global warming 6.85 35 42
COMMENT: Energy dependence and increasing the number of energy efficient
buildings are the only two issues that increased in importance among respondents
who gave them 9 or 10 ratings. All the other issues declined somewhat in
importance. Notably, reducing greenhouse emissions declined 7 points.

14. Key Findings
American Institute of Architects
Nationwide Voter Survey 2009
Issue importance (10-point scale): 9s and 10s
2009 Mean 2009 2007 2004
Making U.S. less dependent on foreign oil 8.60 65 61 51
Controlling medical insurance costs 8.33 64 67
Protecting against air and water pollution 7.89 44 48 41*
Increasing # of energy efficient buildings 7.67 39 36
Holding down the price of gasoline 7.55 47 51
Controlling electricity and utility rates 7.51 41 46 47
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
that may cause global warming 6.85 35 42
COMMENT: Energy dependence and increasing the number of energy efficient
buildings are the only two issues that increased in importance among respondents
who gave them 9 or 10 ratings. All the other issues declined somewhat in
importance. Notably, reducing greenhouse emissions declined 7 points.

28. Differences between Sustainable and Green Building
A. Green Building
1. 5 Categories Sites, Water, Energy, Resources, IEQ
2. Healthier for Living and Working
3. Green Buyers are Happier
4. Less Damage than standard building
B. Sustainable Buildings
1. Derived from Agriculture Terms
2. Sustainable Communities Protect Diversity of Environment
3. Zero Energy-Zero Waste Buildings
4. Not just less damage but Restorative

32. Shift to Thinking Green
A. Industry Tipping Points
1. Compact Fluorescent Lamps(CFLs) 3 colors
2. Light-emitting Diode (LED) lamps
3. Buildings Produce as Much Energy as They Consume
B. Energy Costs
1. Increasing Electricity Costs
2. Rising Costs of Utilities Negatively Impact Home Buying Power
C. Influence of Global Warming/Climate Change
1. Warming Due to Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gases
2. Green Components in Commercial Building Filtering into
Residential Market

33. Emerging Quantifiable Rating Systems
A. Voluntary Standards
1. Not Set by Government Agencies - Yet
2. EnergyStar.Gov
3. Commercial Specifications Redrawn from Commercial to Residential
• LEED
• NAHB -ICC 700
• ICC Green Building Code
• Green Globes
Life Cycle Analysis
Regional Priority

34. New Responsibilities
A. Building for Special Tax Considerations
1. Must Meet Certain Environmental Standards to Qualify
2. Possible Penalties if Standards Not Met
3. Importance of Specificity in Contract Language. Turn back
money
B. Changing Roles of Real Estate Licensees

35. 2. Sustainable Building
Concepts
Learning Objectives
Sustainable Building Concepts
A. Name and Define Three Green Building Principles
B. Describe Components of Green Building
C. Identify the Advantages of Using Brownfields and Renovating Existing
Buildings
D. Compare Differences Between Fiberglass Insulation, Cellulose Insulation,
and Spray Foam
E. List Ways to Effectively Tighten the Building Envelope

36. Overview
A. Consumers Are Unaware
B. Green Building Mantra: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
C. Common Misinterpretations and Misuse of
Environmental Efforts

37. Sustainable Design and Building
A. Building Green
1. Energy Efficient
2. Minimize Environmental Impact
B. Five Principles of Sustainability.
1. Optimize use of sun
2. Improve indoor air quality
3. Use the land responsibly
4. Create high-performance and moisture-resistant houses
5. Wisely use the Earth's natural resources

38. Whole Building Approach
A. Must Consider Total Picture - Triple Bottom Line
1. Economic Costs
2. Energy Performance
3. Environmental Issues
USGBC
NYSDEC

44. Detached Single Family Homes
Low-Mid Rise Multifamily
Attached Single Family HomesMixed Use (min 50% Residential)

45. Project Management
1. Team Approach Critical to Finished Project On Time
a) No Statistical Difference Between Cost of Building Green and
Traditional Building
b) Owners Set the Stage
c) "How Can We Do This?"
2. Integrated Design
a) An Element Has More than One Function
b) Color – Light – HVAC Equipment
c) Flooding - Drought - Water Use
3. Licensee Role
a) Be Aware of Marketability of Energy-Efficient Buildings
b) Provide Information to Builders and Developers

46. Use Land Responsibly
1 . Basic Site Considerations
a) Minimize Building Footprint
b) Avoid Building on Wetlands and Disturbing Wildlife Habitats
c) Take Advantage of Tree Shading
d) Reduce Impervious Area
2. Reclaim Brownfields
a) Property that Are, Were, or Are Contaminated
b) Can Assist in Reviving Depressed Areas

47. Build Close to Transportation
1. Transit oriented development (TOD)
a) Easily Use and Depend on Mass Transportation
b) High-Density, Mixed-Use Communities
2. Encouraged by Rating Systems
Energy Efficiency
1. Conserve Energy
a) Reduce Demand
b) Rely on Energy Not Created by Fossil Fuels
2. Use Renewable Energy
a) Avoid Fossil Fuels (Petroleum-Based)
b) Power from Sun, Water, Wind, Geothermal, Waves,
Biofuels

48. Maintenance of a building’s site is a
fundamental component of comprehensive,
sustainable building operation.
Sustainable Sites

49. The United States alone loses 2 billion tons
of topsoil per year. This is of great
ecological concern as one inch of topsoil
can take 500 years to form naturally
Sustainable Sites

51. Sustainable Sites

52. Sustainable Sites

53. Sustainable Sites

54. Sustainable Sites

55. Energy and Atmosphere
Dr. Nocera said human activities, in energy
terms, right now are essentially a “12.8
trillion watt light bulb.” Our energy thirst will
probably be 30 trillion watts, or 30
terrawatts, by 2050 with the human
population heading toward 9 billion.

56. • - Cut down every plant on Earth and make it into a fuel.
You get 7 terawatts, but you need 30. And you don’t
eat.
• - Build nuclear plants. Around 8 terawatts could be
gotten from nuclear power if you built a new billion-watt
plant every 1.6 days until 2050.
• - Take all the wind energy available close to Earth’s
surface and you get 2 terawatts.
• - You get 1 more terawatt if you dam every other river
on the planet and reach 30.
Then he turned to the sun, his research focus, which
bathes the planet in 800 terawatts of energy continually.
“We only need 18 of those terawatts,” he said. But the
current level of investment in pursuing that energy, he
said, isn’t even close to sufficient .

57. • Features of ENERGY STAR Qualified New
Homes
• To earn the ENERGY STAR, a home must meet
guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. These homes
are at least 15% more energy efficient than
homes built to the
2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and
include additional energy-saving features that
typically make them 20–30% more efficient than
standard homes.
Energy Star

58. • Program Indicators in New York
• 20,953 ENERGY STAR qualified homes built to date
• 2,696 ENERGY STAR qualified homes built in 2010
• 1,054 ENERGY STAR for Homes Partners
• ENERGY STAR qualified homes built in 2010 are the equivalent of:
• Eliminating emissions from 1,321 vehicles
• Saving 7,990,944 lbs of coal
• Planting 2,184 acres of trees
• Saving the environment 15,671,848 pounds of CO2
• Based on national averages
Energy Star

61. Tight Envelope To Reduce Air Leakage
1. Windows
a)Low Emissivity (Low-E) Glaze to Reflect Radiant Indoor Heat
b) U-value: Measure the Rate of Heat Passing Through a Barrier,
Lower Numbers More Efficient
c) Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC): Measures How Well
Window Prevents Heat from Sun from Entering Building, Lower
Numbers More Efficient
2. Insulation Prevents Loss of Conditioned Air
a) R-factor: Rates Ability of Insulation to Prevent Flow of Heat,
Higher Numbers Prevent More Heat Loss
b) Fiberglass insulation: Recycles Materials, Difficult to Ignite but
Burns Fast, R-Values Deteriorate with Temperature Differentials
c) Cellulose insulation: Recycled Newspapers, Burning Retarded,
Fills Nooks and Crevices
d) Spray Foam – Polyurethane, air and heat barrier

62. G. Tight Envelope To Reduce Air Leakage
3. Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)
a) Two Layers of Structural Board
b) Insulating Foam in Between
c) Lightweight and Modular
d) Easy to Use and to Move
e) Less HVAC Required
f) SIP Rooms Do Not Require Blower Door Test or Duct Blaster Test
g) Lower Costs Overall

63. Use Electricity Wisely
A. Reduce Plug Load
a) Many Appliances Continually "On" Pulling Power
b) Appliances More than 10 Years Should be Replaced
c) Use Electronic Power Controller for Appliances more
than 10 years old
d) Computers and printers are major energy users
www.energystar.gov/
B Choose Energy-Efficient Appliances
a) Tankless Water Heaters
b) Programmable Thermostats
c) Ductless Air Conditioning
d) Geothermal Heat Pumps

64. Programmable Thermostats – Energy
Management Systems

65. Computer Load Management - Hundreds of leading
organizations have activated power management
features on computers saving as much as $50 per
computer annually
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=power_mgt.

66. Occupancy and Daylight Sensors

67. Use Electricity Wisely
C. Renewal Power Sources
1. Solar Power
a) Photovoltaic CPV) Cells Convert Sun's Energy into
Electricity
b) Manufacture and Disposal of PV Cells have
Environmental Impact
c) Cost Expected to Drop
d) Danial Nocera – artificial photosynthesis
2. Wind Power
a) Turbine Blades Convert Wind to Electricity
b) Smaller Turbines for Residential Use
c) Wind Farms Being Built Off-Shore

68. Energy & Atmosphere
June 21st
Summer
Solstice
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

69. Energy & Atmosphere
Sept 21st
Autumnal
Equinox
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

70. D. Conserve Water
1. Saving Potable Water
a) Preparing for Droughts
b) Effects of Paving and Buildings: Less Water Absorbed
c) All Certifications Place Premium on Conserving Water
d) Droughts and Flooding?
2. Green Roofs
a) Usually Not Accessible to Foot Traffic
b) Reduce Heating and Cooling Load on Building
c) Reduce Storm Water Runoff and Filter Pollutants
d) Increase Habitat for Displaced Wildlife
e) Can be Virtually Self-Sustaining, Requiring Minimal Care

71. Conserve Water
Flooding and Droughts
Mississippi
•1968 National Flood Insurance Program
•100 yr flood protection
•Corps of Engineers wanted a minimum 500-year
standard for densely populated areas
•Developers wanted 50 yrs std.

72. Conserve Water
“The reality is that, over the 30-year life of a typical
home mortgage, there is a 26% chance of a flood that exceeds
the 100-year standard. Over the course of a century, there is a
63% chance that a flood greater than the 100-year standard will
strike, a 26% chance of two such floods, and an 8% chance of
three such floods. So it is hardly a statistical surprise that the
upper Midwest suffered 100-year floods in 1993 and 2008.”
WSJ Article 4-30-2011

73. Conserve Water
Japan and the Netherlands, for example, protect
against river floods to a 2,000-year standard for
densely populated areas and a 200-year standard
for rural zones.

74. Water Efficiency
Americans extract 3700 billion gallons per
year more than they return to the natural
water system to recharge aquifers and other
water sources.

75. Source USGS

76. Water Efficiency

77. D. Conserve Water
3. Beneficial Landscaping
a) Preserve Existing Ecosystems, such as Wildlife Habitat
b) Reduce Need for Excess Water for Landscaping
c) Reduce Possibility of Groundwater and Soil Contamination
4. Xeric plants Requirements
a) Less Water
b) Less Attention
c) Fewer Chemicals
d)Fewer Pesticides

78. D. Conserve Water
6. Microdrip Water Systems
a) Use 20 to 50 Percent Less Water than Sprinkler Systems
b) Little or No Water Lost to Evaporation
c) Water Delivered Directly to Plants
d) Up front Costs More than Traditional Sprinkler Systems
e) Save on Water Usage
7. Water Collection Systems
a) Most Used for Irrigation
b) Thousands of Gallons of Water Gained from Collection

79. Rain Gardens

80. Rain Barrels

81. Water Saving .5 gpm aerators
1.0 or .5 gpm (.35 gpm)
<$5

82. Water Saving Automatic Shut off Faucets
Metering Lavatory Faucet
Price: $131 - $214 *
Proximity Lavatory Faucet
Price: $509

83. Water Use Calculations

85. Material Efficiency
1.Reduce
a) Print Double Sided
b) Coffee Mugs , Refilable Water Bottles.
c) Bldg Materials - Roof Insulation
3. Reuse
a) Use Same Product for Same Purpose or New Purpose
b) Examples: Refillable Glass Bottles, Washable Cloth
Diapers, Renovatable Buildings
c) Trade-offs
d) Deconstruction
e) Reconstruction
4. Recycle
a) Break Down Materials
b) Reassemble for New Purpose
c) Examples: Newspapers, Concrete, Glass, Aluminum

86. F. Manage Construction and Demolition (C&C) Debris
1. Deconstruction
a) Dismantle and Remove Before Building Torn Down
b) Advantages: Lower Overall Building Removal; Reduce Impact to
Site; Save Space in Landfills; Creates More Jobs
c) Example: Big Dig House, Lexington, MA
d) Benefits Calculator: Deconstruction Institute
2. Factory-Built Construction Advantages
a) Better Use of Expensive Materials
b) Protect from Weather and Theft
c) More Exacting Construction Standards
d) Higher Quality Control
e) Less Waste

88. E. Indoor Air Quality
I. Time Indoors Equals 90%
a) Live in Conditioned Air
b) Indoor Air up to 90% Less Healthy than Outdoor Air
c) Accounts for Many Missed Days of Work
d) Many Pollutants Cause Problems
2. Minimize Mold
a) Relative Humidity Less than 55%
b) Repair Water Leaks Promptly
3. Minimize off- gassing
a) Release of Gases into Air of Chemicals Used in
Manufacture of
Product
b) Called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
c) Formaldehyde Main Culprit
d) Use Paints wi th Low or No VOCs

89. E. Indoor Air Quality
4. Bring in Fresh Air
a) Air Tight Buildings Control Conditioned Air
b) Use Air Exchangers
5. Indoor air Issues in Commercial Buildings
a) Sick Building Syndrome (SBS): 20% of Occupants Complain, No
Link Found
b) Building related illness (BRI): Specific Pollutant Identified as
Causing Personal Injury

90. Indoor Environmental Quality

91. Indoor Environmental Quality

92. 3. Energy Audits
Learning Objectives
A. Discuss the Value of an Energy Audit
B. Identify Problems Common to Many Houses and Develop Possible
Solutions
C. Explain Issues that Result from Inadequate Insulation Levels
D. Recognize the Dangers of Back Drafting
E. List Components of an Effective Energy Audit
F. Summarize the Role of a Real Estate Licensee When Clients Call
for an Energy Audit

94. Energy Audits
A. Professional Energy Audits
1. Value
a) Determines Energy Efficiency of Building's Energy-Using Systems
b) Identifies Health and Safety Issues, Building Durability
c) Owners Should Identify any Known Indoor Environmental Problems,
Humidity Issues
d) Assemble Year's Worth of Energy Bills
e) Identify Usage During Weekdays
2. Blower Door Test
a) Powerful Variable-Speed Fan Mounted into Frame of Exterior Door
b) Pressure Gauge to Measure Pressure Differences Inside and Out
c) Airflow Manometer and Hoses to Measure the Airflow
as well

95. Energy Audits
A. Professional Energy Audits
3. Duct Leakage Testing
a)Leakage May Cause Back-Drafting of Combustion Appliances
b) Properly Sealed Ductwork Increases Energy Efficiency
c) More Comfortable Living Spaces
d) Calibrated, Portable Fan Pressurizes the Ducts and Measures Airflow to
Indicate Total Leakage

97. Energy Audits
A.Professional Energy Audits
4. Thermographic Inspections
a) Infrared Scanning to Detect Thermal Defects and Air Leakage in Building
Envelope
b) Measures Surface Temperatures, especially during Blower Door Testing
c) Checks Insulation Effectiveness
d) Do on New Construction as well

99. Energy Audits
B. Hiring a Third Party
1. No National Guidelines
a) Home Energy Rating System (HERS) developed by Residential Energy
Services Network (RESNET)
b) Used by Federal Government and Many Others
2. Hiring Guidelines
a) Gather Information about Experience in Testing for Energy Consumption,
Accreditation, Certification
b) Obtain Proof of Errors and Omissions Insurance
c) Check References

100. Energy Audits
B. Hiring a Third Party
3. Test- in/Test-out
a) Homeowner Should be Present Both Times
b) Ideally Involve Three Steps: First Company Does Audit, Make the
Upgrades, Different Company Tests Results of Upgrades
c) Ethically, Company Must Disclose any Financial Interest in Upgrades
4. Residential Audits
a) Local Utilities Often Offer Audits
b) Real Estate Licensees Should be Aware of Opportunities
c) Should Not Make Recommendation for Specific Company
5. Commercial Audits
a) Many States Offer Financial Incentives
b) Licensees Should be Aware

101. Energy Audits
C. Do It Yourself Audits
1. Energy Star Home Energy Yardstick
a) Requires Last Twelve Months of Utility Bills
b) Basic Information About Property
2. Home Energy Saver (HES)
a) Maintained by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
b) Calculates Savings by Making Energy-Efficiency Improvements
c) Uses Zip Codes to Identify Applicable Utility Costs for that Climate

106. Energy Audits
Common Problems and Solutions
1 . Inadequate Insulation Levels Allows Conditioned Air to Escape
b) Ice Dams: Frozen Water in Gutters Backs up Melting Water from Warm
Roof .
c) Recessed Lighting in Vaulted Ceilings
c) Proper Insulation: Lower Energy Costs and Prevention of Air Drafts
2. Air Leakage
a) Requires More Energy to Run HVAC
b) Results in Uneven Air Temperatures in Different Parts of Room/House
3. Excessive Moisture
a) Use Dehumidifier in Summer Months
b) Install Air Exchanger
4. Improperly Vented Appliances
a) Prevent Back Drafting: Flow of Fumes into House and Not Up the
Chimney
b) Carbon Monoxide Especially Dangerous
c) Electrical Appliances Not As Dangerous

107. Audits in the Real Estate Transaction
A. Role of the Real Estate Licensee
1. Be the Source of the Resource, Not the Source of the Information
2. No Recommendations
3. No Affiliation with Suppliers
B. Useful for Sellers
1. Determine If Feature or Appliance Adds To or Detracts From Asking
Price
2. Energy-Saving Features Added to Multiple Listing Service (MLS)
Information
C. Useful for Buyers
1. Consider Impact of Energy Technology
2. May Choose to Pay More for Lower Utility Costs

110. 4 tons CO2 Avoided
78% Less Solid Waste
Solar Power35%
Preliminary Savings
42% Less Energy Use
60% Less Potable Water