Articles of Interest

How Home Energy Scoring Works Danny Gough was hunting for leaks. He aimed his infrared camera up and down walls, moving from a downstairs dining room to upstairs bedrooms. Chilly areas stopped him in his tracks. more... WRBL News Journal

Making Homes Ageless A more universal home re-design extends life, adds value and increases usefulness in today’s market. more... MyGreenToolkit

US Energy Department to share building efficiency technologies through real estate alliance The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has entered into an alliance with the commercial real estate sector to lessen energy consumption and for energy efficiency of commercial properties mainly through technology deployment. more... EcoSeed.org

Case Study: Idaho Builder's Green Cottage Stands Out in Recession "We learned that when you say the word 'green' up here, people think it's about being a tree hugger," says Barbara, co-owner of Selle Valley Construction. So when she met with local architects, realtors, and potential customers, she focused her message on the financial incentives of energy-efficient homes. more... EcoHome Magazine

Smart Lighting Will Save Trillions of Dollars, Gigatons of CO2 TROY, New York, A new generation of lighting devices based on light-emitting diodes, LEDs, will supplant the common light bulb in coming years, according to a paper published this week by two professors at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Innovations in photonics and solid state lighting will lead to trillions of dollars in cost savings, along with a massive reduction in the amount of energy required to light homes and businesses around the globe, write co-authors E. Fred Schubert and Jong Kyu Kim. If all of the world's light bulbs were replaced with energy-efficient LEDs for a period of 10 years, the researchers say it would reduce global crude oil consumption by 962 million barrels and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 10.68 gigatons. more... Environmental News Service (ENS)

How Green Remodeling Can Help Sell Your House: Make Your Home Energy Efficient and Green. The good news is you can gain a leg up on the other houses for sale in your price range by making smart and quick eco-renovations. These green remodeling ideas can help you slash your monthly energy bills, reduce your water usage, clean up your indoor air quality, and leave the planet a better place. And make your home stand out from all of the rest. more… The Daily Green.com

For Cost-effective Remodeling, Think Green: These are home improvements that are an investment even in a recession. Remodeling your bathroom to include radiant heat is an investment you’ll likely see a return on when you sell more… By Matt Woolsey, Forbes via MSNBC.com

Green homes selling faster, for more Homes certified as environmentally friendly are selling faster and for more money than other homes in King County, according to a new analysis. more… Aubrey Cohen, Seattle Real Estate News via Seattlepi.com

The Rooftop Garden Climbs Down a Wall Edible walls are the latest development in green roof technology. Like green roofs, edible walls include a thick layer of vegetation on the outside of buildings to provide insulation and reduce heating and electricity costs. But unlike green roofs, and their vertical cousins, green walls, edible walls also produce fruit, vegetables and herbs in far less space than typical gardens. That's why advocates of urban farming have embraced them as a way to lower food costs, increase nutritional quality and cut fuel consumption and carbon emissions by using fewer delivery trucks. more… Ken Belson, New York Times

How about a program that significantly lowers your utilities, adds home value, improves comfort and reduces your carbon footprint on the planet?

How about getting help to pay for it?

Your local REALTOR wants to share brand new information with homeowners about the big value this year of “upgrading green.” It’s easy, inexpensive, it’s finally certified by Missouri. By acting this year, you may qualify for tax incentives that can help pay for it. The best part — you will lower your utilities by up to 30% or more and increase the value of your most valuable asset, your home.

My Green Toolkit.com, the place to learn how to start greening your home and qualify for tax incentives, all brought to you by your favorite REALTOR.

For instance, in 2011, state and federal government are helping with tax credits and deductions for homeowners to get more energy efficient. See what’s available.

Do you know why getting a home energy assessment from an accredited energy auditor is so important, before you start work greening your house? Learn more.

What are the 3 steps to getting a home more energy efficient AND qualify for the maximum amount of incentives from governments and utilities? Find out here.

Go to My Green Toolkit.com and start your house-greening efforts now, while all the “green stars are aligned.” And when you see the resulting savings and incentives, thank your local REALTOR who sent this to you. They want you to know that building value in your home is easy when you go green.