Green Tool Kit helps professionals determine home’s energy efficiency

Originally published April 20, 2010, 1:26 PM
By Ed Waters Jr.
News-Post Staff

“Green” is more than just a buzz word for the housing industry and earlier today the National Association of Realtors unveiled its Green MLS Tool Kit.

The “tool kit” is a set of guidelines and resources for Realtors, appraisers, builders and others in the industry to use when broadening their knowledge on environmental and energy efficiency materials, home designs and more.

The MLS — Multiple Listing Services — which keeps track of homes on the market and their details, can now be expanded to include more information on what a house has in that area such as Energy Star appliances and an energy-efficient heating and cooling system.

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Two local professionals in the industry have been working with the national association on the program. Don Briggs, president of Briggs Associates, was the first appraiser in Maryland to get the Green Designation from the National Association of Realtors, has LEED certification and is chairman of the county’s Sustainability Commission. Briggs teaches classes on “green” issues for real estate and building professionals.

Steve Seawright, managing member of Seawright Homes, was the first builder in the county to commit to Energy Star certification for all of his new homes and is the recipient of three White Oak Awards from the Maryland Department of the Environment for using best conservation practices in planning his communities.

“Though not the quick fix that builders and buyers of ‘green’ homes would like to see for the continuing problem of too many appraisers inadequately valuing the ‘green’ attributes of homes, the Green MLS Tool Kit, will prove invaluable for having provided a road map that facilitates MLS systems across the land collecting and reporting the data on home listings that will help home buyers, sellers, Realtors, builders and, especially, appraisers fully recognize and value the economic benefits of ‘green’ home construction,” Seawright said, a certified Green Professional by the National Association of Home Builders.  

(editors note: It is easy to see that home appraisers will be valuing the home with a energy consideration. You home will be worth more if it is energy efficient.)

For more on this story, check out Wednesday’s edition of The Frederick News-Post.