White paper on best practices when promoting green, environmentally conscious, sustainable home features. Checklist of terms for real estate agents to master when showing homes or to understand when representing interests of eco-conscious buyers. Messaging tips for green real estate professionals.

1. Agent’s Guide to Selling Green Homes in 2020
Your clients clearly want to buy healthy, eco-conscious homes. Are you able to deliver?
Surveys from the National Association of Home Builders find eight in ten buyers rank green
design and energy efficiency among their most desired features ​1​
. But, when marketing
sustainability, what truly distinguishes superior homes from those barely making an eco effort?
Idea Broker partners with agents through the journey of developing and transacting on
high-efficiency, new construction homes. We are trained in Passive House, ENERGY STAR and
LEED for Home certifications. ​Let’s collaborate to make your client’s dream home a reality.
Certifications help high-quality homes stand apart. Still, eco-label recognition is limited to select
markets. The burden largey falls on agents to understand these unique home features and to
effectively explain their benefits to potential buyers.
Gain your client’s confidence. Expertly guide the development of a high-efficiency home. Find
truly unique listings. Better sell sustainability with our Green Home Features Tip Sheet.
Green Home Features Tip Sheet
Homeowner
Benefit
Feature Standard Specs Superior Specs Why Greener Is Better
Water
Conservation
Kitchen & Bath
Faucets
Aerator Water
Efficiency Greater
than 1.5 GPM
Fixtures are EPA WaterSense
Certified or Do Not Exceed 1.5
GPM Efficiency
20% annual water savings = lower water bills!
Source​ p74/156 and ​Source
Landscaping
Standard Irrigation
System. Plants
Chosen for Beauty or
Simplicity, No
Ecological
Considerations.
Water-Efficient Technology.
Rainwater Capture and Reuse.
Native and Drought-Tolerant
Gardens
Smart Water
Technology
Not Required
Automatic Shutoff Upon Leak
Detection.
Detect a water leak before it requires major plumbing
repair. An average plumbing job costs homeowners $300.
Source ​ Water damage is 5X more likely than theft in your
home. ​Source
Comfort &
Air Leakage
Windows &
Doors
No Limit on
Direction, Location
or Treatment of
Window Glass.
(Source)
Southern-facing Window
Orientation. Overhangs to
Provide Shade. Double/Triple
Pane Windows. LowE Glass.
Insulated Frames.
15-20% of all home energy loss is through windows and
doors. ​Source
Southern orientation will allow greater sunlight during
cooler months and limit heat during hotter months.
Low Emissivity (Low E) coatings on a typical window
reduce energy loss by 35%. ​Source

2. Insulation
Walls min. R-30
Attic min. R-48
Slab min. 0 ​(Source)
>R-35 Walls
>R-65 Attic
>R-15 Slab
New homes with thicker insulation and continuous air
barriers use, on average, half as much energy for heating
and cooling. ​Source
Continuous Air
Barrier
Not Required
Material Barrier Continuously
Wrapped around Exterior
before Siding Is Applied.
Liquid or self-adhering material applied to a home’s
sheathing eliminates air and water gaps, reducing air
drafts while improving homeowner comfort. Improvements
in energy efficiency reduce heating and cooling costs up to
$372 per year. ​Source
Indoor Air
Quality
Energy
Ventilation
Recovery Unit
Not Required
MERV Filter Rating (0 is
Lowest, 16 is Highest) of
Minimum 13 + HEPA Filter
Most ERV systems can exchange stale indoor air by
allowing fresh intake, while still maintaining 70–80% of the
hot or cool air. ​Source
Better indoor air quality is shown to improve our ability to
concentrate and be productive —-- great for home offices
or for doing homework. ​Source
Heating &
Cooling System
Ductwork Can Pass
Through
Unconditioned
Spaces
Insulation and Ducts within
Conditioned Space with
Minimum R-8 Insulation Wrap
Passive House buildings consume 86% less energy for
heating and 46% less energy for cooling (depending on
climate zone and building type) when compared to a
code-compliant building. ​Source
Energy
Efficiency
Cooling Unit 14 SEER ​Source >20 SEER
Energy Star certified central air conditioners use 8% less
energy than standard new products. ​Source
Heating Unit 85% Efficiency 95% Efficiency
Energy Star certified furnaces use as much as 15% less
energy than standard new products. ​Source
Advancements in air source heat pumps make these great
solutions for any climate. Heat pumps can achieve greater
than 400% heating efficiencies in cool weather, compared
to 80-97% for conventional systems run on gas, oil or
propane. ​Source​.
Lighting
75% of Installed
Lighting Fixtures Are
High-Efficiency.
Source
100% of Lamps or Permanent
Fixtures Use LEDs.
LEDs require about half the electricity than incandescent
alternatives. LEDs last 30x longer than incandescents and
at least 4x longer than CFL alternatives, requiring less
maintenance. ​Source
LEDs come in white or natural light options, better
accentuating the vibrant colors of carpets, wall paints or
home decor.
Appliances Not required
All Appliances Are ENERGY
STAR Rated.
High-efficiency refrigerators are about 9% more energy
efficient than standard models. ​Source
More efficient clothes washers use about 25% less energy
and 33% less water per year, saving on average 2,000
gallons of water. ​Source
Water Heater
Minimum 84%
Efficiency ​Source
Minimum 90% Efficiency or
Tankless
Heating water accounts for as much as 30% of energy
consumption. ​Source​p38
Tankless hot water heaters provide on-demand hot water,
drastically reducing the amount of time to wait for shower
water to warm up.

3. Interior
Finishes
Flooring
No Restriction on
Use of Volatile
Organic Compounds
(VOCs)
Low- or No-VOC Products
“Green Label Plus” Certifies
the Lowest-Emitting Carpet,
Adhesive and Cushion
Products
Inhaling VOCs released from flooring, cabinets or paint can
irritate the eyes, nose and throat and potentially cause
damage to the central nervous system. Some VOCs are
linked to cancer. ​Source
Exposure to VOCs may intensify symptoms for household
members who have asthma or who are
immunocompromised ​Source Cabinets &
Countertops
Not required
Environmental Stewardship
Program
Green Label Plus.​ ​Source
Paint Not required Low- or No-VOC Label
The very low VOC and 100% solid coatings will also yield:
● Higher applied film thicknesses per coat
● Lower application costs
● Better edge coverage
● Extended performance due to the lack of
entrapped solvent (VOC) in the film ​Source
● Very low odor ​Source
Traditional high VOC coating with a VOC level of 200gm/L
(1.6 lbs/G) may lose as much as 15-20% of the applied film
thickness during application and curing. Whereas VOC
levels of 3gm/L (.02 lbs/G) lose as little as 0.2% film
thickness. ​Source
Material
Selections
Not required Low- or No-VOC Materials
Water-based paints and finishes are a much healthier
alternative to oil-based paints and stains. When choosing
carpeting and upholstery, look for natural materials
instead of synthetics. ​Source
Renewable
Energy
Solar Panels Not Required Power 100% Electricity
A solar energy installation can help reduce time on market
by 20% compared to listed residences without solar
panels. ​Source
At Idea Broker, we offer expertise in sustainable design practices. Our project management
capabilities assist clients in the purchase, design and installation of renewable energy and
high-efficiency technology systems.
Interested in scheduling a no-obligation consultation on your listings? Looking to partner with a
consultant through the design and construction of your upcoming projects?
Contact Idea Broker today.​ Or ​info@ideabroker.us​.
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