Asheville Homes and LAND!- The Keep In Touch Blog

What eco-friendly trends in real estate are Investors watching these days? Here are my Top 5 picks for 2010. 

1. "Cradle to Cradle" Design - fully reclaiming or re-using products end "cradle to grave" cycle of manufactured products.
   
   Example:  In Detroit, The Ford River Rouge Complexredevelopment  is an example of this concept, and is a direct result of FoMoCo consultation with William McDonough, who with his partner originated the concept.
   
   Reported Michigan Land Use, "The entrance to the Rouge complex is turning into a 1.5-mile-long green boulevard with 22 acres of wetlands, trees, and shrubs. Some 1,500 trees and other plantings are starting to surround the new assembly building and several others. Thousands of feet of shallow drainage canals, and multiple manmade wetlands have been constructed and seeded with indigenous plants. To control rainwater and pollutants, the assembly plant's 15-acre parking lot is covered with a porous surface through which water is filtered, cleansed and stored in underground basins to be slowly released into canals and wetlands. ...."
   
   Can you imagine how this affects the quality of life for those who live and work in the area?
   
   
   
2. Sustainability - meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
   
   Example: In Asheville, NC, interdependence, respect for nature, and responsibility for future generations is expressed in local culture and neighborhoods. 
   
   
   And a group of over 300 real estate professionals  who are eco certified work together and with developers to build sustainably, and work with buyers to find the most eco friendly homes, businesses and/or land.
   
   
   As a member of this group, I can say I am excited to see the possibilities for clients and for Asheville.
   
   
   
3. Source reduction - reducing waste and pollution by changing outmoded patterns of production and consumption. This decreases reliance on landfills and incinerators.  By reducing the need for "virgin" resources extracted from forests, oil reserves, and mines, we use less energy, reduce greenhouse gases, water pollution, and conserve natural resources.
   
   Example: Your Home Town and Your Footprint:  Calculate it here
   
   Guess how small or big your "footprint" is. . .let me know
   
   
   
   
4. Viability - creating economic growth around "green" technologies and products.
   
   Example: Our colleague, Mary Bigelow's work. For a quick glimpse, check out Mary's blog post.  and leave Mary a comment.
   
   
   
5.  Innovation - developing alternatives to technologies that have been demonstrated to damage your health and your environment.
   
   Example: The NC HealthyBuilt Homes (HBH) Program  that encompass all aspects of environmental design and construction including:
   
   
   a) Site and Landscape: healthy outdoors by using erosion control and saving existing trees
   b) Water Efficiency: lower water bills by using high efficiency irrigation and plumbing fixtures
   c) Building Envelope: lower utility bills by using high efficiency windows and insulation
   d) Heating and Cooling Systems: higher comfort with efficiency equipment and sealed air ducts
   e) Appliances and Lighting: lower utility bills by using Energy Star appliances and lighting
   f) Indoor Air Quality: a healthy interior with non-toxic finishes and minimizing mold
   g) Materials: a low maintenance home using durable, local, and recycled content materials
   
   REALTORS...how would you and your investors like to live in such a home?
   
   
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(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............Asheville NC Real Estate:     LAND in  Asheville.  Going Green  and Eco-Friendly Properties. Expert Tools for Sellers and Buyers of  Mountain Homes and Land Legacies. "On the roll for  sustainable  innovation."  © 2010. Asheville NC Real Estate     Unauthorized reproduction of any information on this site is a violation of existing copyright laws. All rights reserved.

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