GOING GREEN - 7

GOING GREEN
What are REALTORS Doing about Sustainability?

By Steve Wright

San Francisco, known as a hotbed of progressive thinking and acting for nearly a half century, actually has a fairly small inventory of Green houses.

Realtor Chris Bartle, president and broker of Green Key Real Estate, aims to boost the number of Green homes in the City by the Bay as well as nationwide.

“We’re a mission-driven company. Of course we’re about selling houses and making money, but we’re also about also increasing the inventory of Green homes,” he said.

Bartle’s firm works with Build It Green, a California nonprofit, to promote Green building and Green remodeling. He also notes that the California Association of Realtors has a Green Task Force working to create Green ratings for a statewide Multiple Listing Service.

“In an old home, if the client is concerned about energy efficiency, the solution includes double paned windows and energy efficient appliances. That’s not a hard sell – you make a $10K investment now and make it back in five or 10 years,” Bartle explained.

Bartle said sustainable housing goes far beyond a capital investment in energy efficiency.

“People are thinking about indoor air quality, people are thinking of their families,” he said. “A lot of building materials, finish materials, paints, varnish, sealers and cabinetry with particle board held together with formaldehyde -- have toxic elements. That’s not just a horrible paint smell, it’s a chemical that isn’t good for you. We get calls from buyers who have an allergy to formaldehyde or a certain pesticide. Now there are a lot of new products that don’t give off any harmful emissions.”

TOMORROW: EcoBroker

Wright frequently writes about smart growth and sustainable communities. He and his wife live in a restored historic home in the heart of Miami’s Little Havana. Contact him at: stevewright64@yahoo.com