January 17, 2019

How Important is HERS to Appraised Value?

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.

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September 23, 2018

My Zero Energy Retrofit Beats my 401(k)

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!

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June 21, 2018

How to Sell Zero Energy Homes to Americans

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.

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May 15, 2018

Valuation Techniques for High Performance Buildings

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.

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April 24, 2018

Home Energy Savings Successes: PACE Loans Have Low Delinquency Rates

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.

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November 13, 2017

Solving Energy Poverty: Energy Efficient Homes for Those Who Need Them Most

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.

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October 19, 2017

Use Your Consumer Power to Lift the Zero Energy Homes Market

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...

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August 24, 2017

How to Scale Home Energy Financing Products

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.

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March 23, 2017

Zero Energy Upgrades Could Cost Zero Dollars

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.

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February 10, 2017

The Buying Power of Efficiency

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.

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January 19, 2017

How Builders Can Best Sell their Highly Energy Efficient Homes

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.

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November 28, 2016

PACE Loans Hurdle the “First Cost Barrier” to Zero Energy Homes

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.

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