Philly Development Offers Glimpse of Green Real Estate’s Future

By Erica Christoffer, Contributing Editor, REALTOR® Magazine

Denise Lehmann and Alex Plessett are building their dream, quite literally.

The builder-REALTOR® pair are the masterminds behind the largest LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) designated green residential development in Philadelphia. In July, they broke ground on Sheldon Crossing, 20 units of high-end sustainable housing, and expect homes in Phase I to be available for purchase by the year’s end.

While Lehmann and Plessett both hope to see the success of their development come to fruition, they also have a message – that sustainability does not have to sacrifice quality, and that green is the future of real estate.

“REALTORS® are really just beginning to learn about sustainability issues and how important it is for their clients,” Plessett says. “They don’t all need to be experts, but it’s important to be able to talk to their buyers about green products, energy efficiency, and the benefits of living in a green home.

“It’s important for REALTORS® to jump on the bandwagon, because green is here – and it’s here to stay.”

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A Quick Guide to Green Trends

By Erik Fowler

Over the next several months, REALTOR® Magazine’s Styled, Staged & Sold blog and I are excited to be covering green home trends. Check back with us, as this is one in a series of articles to help you make sense of the green landscape as a real estate professional.

Many of you may even consider the new NAR GREEN designation, the only sustainable property designation recognized by the National Association of Realtors®. Topics we will cover over the next few months are:

1) The Big Picture – Defining “Green”
2) Green Homes and Real Estate
3) Who are Green Buyers and Sellers?
4) Listing and Selling Green – Important Issues to Consider
5) Green Certifications  – Making Sense of Rating Systems
6) Greening your Real Estate Practice

THE BIG PICTURE

Did you know? According to several studies including the U.S. Department of Energy, homes and buildings account for 40-50 percent of total U.S. energy consumption and at least 20-40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution.

In addition, construction of homes and other buildings use more than 30 percent of all raw materials and produce at least 30 percent of waste generation in the U.S. each year. Wow!

Committed followers of green subscribe to sustainable growth principles which reject “false choices” of economic growth versus environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Proponents believe these goals can and should occur simultaneously.

The study and goal of sustainable growth is a topic which I encourage you to research. As it Read more