Going Green in Real Estate

January 29, 2010 -- When it comes to character, you just can’t beat the charm of an older home. Newly constructed homes however, come with their own unique assets, one of the most noteworthy of which is energy efficiency.

From the roof to the foundation, a number of innovative building practices often go into constructing today’s greenest homes.

Roof shingles for example, are now available in recycled materials. Environmentally friendly spray foam insulation, which can help prevent dampness, keep out pollutants and contribute to structural strength, is even partially made with recycled materials.

Roofs, walls and floors can be insulated as well with special structural panels that consist of two layers of board with insulating foam in between them. The forms that are used to mould a home’s poured concrete foundation can now also be found with insulating ability, and barriers that prevent dampness from rising into the foundation can be used at this stage of construction as well. Even exterior cladding is now insulated to offer greater energy efficiency.

If you prefer an older home though, there are many simple ways to make it more energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

Start with an Energy Star programmable thermostat that will save on heating and cooling costs when you’re not home. You can take this approach a step further by investing in a new high efficiency furnace or air conditioner. Adding insulation to the attic of your home will offer reduced energy costs for years to come as well.

A tank-less water heater will also save on energy costs by providing only the amount of heated water that you need rather than maintaining it in a cylinder.

Even making minor changes can have an impact, like choosing energy efficient light bulbs - Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) are good and Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are even better.

If you’re planning to make cosmetic changes to your home you can do your part for the environment by choosing wood flooring, and even carpet, made with recycled content. Look for low VOC paints and stains as well, which reduce the number of unstable, carbon-containing compounds that enter the air and react with other elements.

In the bathroom, you can keep more money in your pocket by installing low-flow faucets, showerheads and toilets.

Replacing old windows with low-E argon-filled units that have the Energy Star symbol can make a dramatic difference to your home’s energy efficiency as well.

Changing your old appliances with new Energy Star machines is also a great way to reduce energy consumption while enhancing the overall appeal of your home.

Beyond enjoying the aesthetics, cost savings and fulfillment associated with helping the environment, you can also consider getting an energy audit to take full advantage of a number of government rebates for energy-saving home improvements. Please visit www.TorontoRealEstateBoard.com to learn more about them.

Regardless of the approach you choose, remember that nothing can substitute for good-old fashioned conservation. Remember that the energy you save today may well be the energy that is needed tomorrow.


Tom Lebour is President of the Toronto Real Estate Board, a professional association that represents 28,000 REALTORS® in the Greater Toronto Area.

Vertical City – The GTA is growing up and going green

September 18, 2009 -- In a recent column I talked about how the Greater Toronto Area is becoming a vertical city, with almost one in every three homes that changes hands being a condominium.

There’s no doubt that homebuyers are drawn to the luxury and in many cases, affordability, that condominiums offer. As a result, the GTA’s population is booming; it currently ranks as the fifth largest city region in North America behind Mexico City, New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago. And it’s interesting to note that as the GTA grows up, it’s also going green.

From schools to office buildings, municipal facilities to retail outlets, buildings throughout the GTA are working to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

It is a rating system in which points are awarded for environmentally friendly building characteristics in five key areas: sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.

An internationally accepted third-party certification program, it provides building operators with tools to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance.

According to recent reports, the Canadian Green Building Council (CaGBC), the non-profit organization that implements LEED, has more than one thousand projects registered, with approximately one-third of all projects located in Ontario.

In Canada for only five years, the LEED program has been widely embraced and certainly by no one more than condominium developers.

To qualify for this coveted status today’s condominiums are built with energy efficient heating and cooling systems, low VOC paints and finishes, and low-E argon-filled windows.

You’ll also find innovative energy-saving ideas like rainwater collection facilities, motion sensor lighting in stairwells, and two-chute disposal systems for convenient recycling on every floor.

LEED condos feature individual suite controls that allow you to monitor and limit energy usage, all off switches, programmable thermostats and energy-efficient appliances.

Building amenities include lush rooftop gardens, individual storage units, covered parking for bicycles, close proximity to transit lines and direct access to car sharing company services.

If you’re drawn to the idea of owning a green home you’re not alone. In a Nielson Canada-wide survey of attitudes towards green homes 85 per cent of respondents claimed that certification of the home would play an important role in their buying decision and 82 per cent said they would be willing to invest more money in a home purchase if it was certified.

Beyond helping the environment, there are a number of other benefits to buying a LEED certified condominium. You’ll enjoy better indoor air quality, lower costs for water and electricity usage and likely, a more active lifestyle. You might even enjoy a lower home insurance premium and achieve higher resale value.

If you’re interested in finding out about the many benefits of LEED-certified condos, talk to a Greater Toronto REALTOR®.

Toronto Real Estate Board Members not only have access to up-to-the-minute data on resale housing, they also have special access to a database that contains detailed information on 95 per cent of all new construction developments in the GTA that are greater than 15 units in size.

Some REALTORS® have even pursued special training offered by the National Association of Green Agents and Brokers. Look for the ACCREDITED GREENAGENT™ and ACCREDITED GREENBROKER™ designations.

For more information on the home buying and selling process, neighbourhood profiles and the latest market statistics visit www.TorontoRealEstateBoard.com
Tom Lebour is President of the Toronto Real Estate Board, a professional association that represents 28,000 REALTORS® in the Greater Toronto Area.