Every buyer wants an energy-efficient home, but there are so many factors to consider that many buyers become overwhelmed. Did you know that the energy performance of any home can be expressed in one simple-to-understand number? Here it is.

This analysis, using standard business investment metrics, shows that a complete zero energy home retrofit can return 15% a year with zero risk. Beat that Wall Street!

A report by the Shelton Group shows a gap between how Americans value the environment and their lack of willingness to take action to protect the environment. The good news is that Americans do prefer to purchase environmentally conscious products. Zero energy builders, designers, and realtors can use the insights from this report to more effectively market zero energy homes.

Property sellers and buyers tend to agree that energy efficient buildings are worth more. Getting that value in the market has been another story. Green appraisal consultant, James Finlay, offers a primer for property owners of high-performance real estate to prepare for them for accurate appraisals.

Home improvement loans to fund energy-efficiency improvements are now available around the U.S. A new report shows that they are benefiting borrowers and offering secure investments for communities.

Efforts to address energy poverty in low-income families by helping to reduce their energy burden have been inadequate. It’s time to make these efforts more comprehensive and more effective.

Builders say they will build what people want. Real estate professionals say they help people find the house that’s right for them. Overwhelmingly, home buyers say they want high-efficiency, healthy homes. So why is the market share of these homes so low? The obvious disconnect between the demand and the supply can only be corrected if consumers use their influence to move the market. Here’s how...

Saving energy saves money, but sometimes financing can be challenging. This report from Rocky Mountain Institute identifies the main barriers for lending options on energy efficiency and how to overcome them.

There’s a way to pay for the entire cost of the upgrades needed to take a home all the way to zero energy. Find out how and use our handy cost calculator to estimate the price of your own project.

Energy efficiency pays for itself. If you design well, build smart and finance correctly, energy savings will take you all the way to a zero energy home.

High-performance homes have many cool features that are not always obvious to buyers. As a builder, you want the effort and expense you’ve invested in the home to be effectively represented to potential buyers. That means engaging real estate brokers and appraisers who have the training, knowledge and experience to recognize these features and communicate the benefits effectively.

Long-term, low-cost financing means that owners and renters will see immediate financial benefits from energy efficiency improvements. Property-Assessed Clean Energy programs are sprouting up around the U.S. to address the need. Maybe your area has such a program.