The Certified Staging Professionals have partnered with Live Green Live Smart Institute to bring a fabulous new green build science program to stagers, designers, professional organizers, home inspectors and real estate professionals across North America.
Fabulous Green Factoids from the LGLS Certified Professional course:
• Forty percent of new homes have some green features. The figure for actual “green” new homes is optimistically around 10% and USGBC more accurately around 0.2%
• The ultimate green remodel was done by the person who designed the LGLS training, Peter Lytle. His home in Minnesota is the first home remodel to achieve the Platinum LEED level. Check out his website and click on the Virtual Home Tour to view all his fabulous choices that resulted in a 125 point LEED rating (Platinum minimum is 90!)
- The photos are interactive; move your mouse across the stars to bring up information about the House’s sustainable features.
- In some spots you will be able to click and call up more in-depth information.
• However, every remodel doesn’t have to achieve this level to make a difference for the homeowner or for the earth! Part of what the LGLS Certified Professional course teaches is how incremental differences, whether the client has $2000 to spend, or $100,000, changes the world, starts moving us in the right direction. Waiting until we can do everything that would be nice to do only keeps us from making changes that will move us forward on the path that will save our world (translation – gives us an excuse…).
• The economic benefits of building green according to a recent study (CoStar Group Study):
- LEED buildings command rent premiums of $11.24 per square foot over their non-LEED peers and have 3.8 percent higher occupancy.
- Rental rates in Energy Star buildings represent a $2.38 per square foot premium over comparable non-Energy Star buildings and have 3.6 percent higher occupancy.
- In a trend that could signal greater attention from institutional investors, Energy Star buildings are selling for an average of $61 per square foot more than their peers, while LEED buildings command a remarkable $171 more per square foot
• Is Green construction more expensive? The answer is that it depends. By buying better quality you increase the cost. Most estimates say for the average green home, about 5% more. The ROI is better, in other words it is cheaper over the long run.
So, the point is… it is worth investigating, don’t you think? If we are not part of the solution, we are part of the problem… Now, that is a factoid for you!
Many of the trainers for this new Green certification are RESA members. For classes throughout North America, please click here and join us with our quest to green the planet.
Joanne O’Donnell is the former VP, Membership and current Treasurer of RESA. Her company, Chic Home Interiors, does Home Staging, Interior Redesign and Training in Staging, Color and Green Build Science. She is a trainer for Certified Staging Professionals, Dewey Color Consultants, Live Green Live Smart CP and CSP Realtor Elite programs.
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