This year's Hawaii Build & Buy Green Conference is held May 20 and 21 at Hawaii Convention Center. I've been hearing "buzz words" for a while (Realtor Magazine featured Eco-friendly movement as a trend in May 2007 issue), and now it becomes daily topic - "how to save energy$".With the boost with rebate and tax credit incentives, solar panel installer is working overtime to meet the demand. Some may consolidate the driving pattern to save gas.
For realtors, there is a new "Eco-Broker" certification program, a marketing specialization of this new trend. Becoming an "Eco-Broker" help homebuyers? when majority of properties in the market is not going to be adopted by this new trend? It may show that you care, but it doesn't change how properties are built.
I would think developers and architects are the visionary and take active role for future building to be LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environment Design) certified. Older existing building should improve its energy-efficiency at reasonable range by contractor and eco-friendly products on the market.
I renovated my condo in 2005 with my little effort to be eco-friendly:
*change all bulbs to CFL, *replace old water heater with tankless (on-demand), *replace old kitchen appliance with energy-star appliance, *replace toilet with ultra-low flush model, *Rip off old wall-to-wall carpet/pad with recyclable carpet-tile (FLOR*) and just open up the window instead of a/c. This is not much to change the world, but I'm glad I did. Be green!
*picture is for Wolf showroom on N. King St. Architecture incorporate some energy-efficient feature, but do you know Wolf appliance is energy-star?
