In keeping with the spirit of this week’s discussion on sustainability, we want to shed light on the Greenbuild 2009 conference and expo that is currently underway in Phoenix, AZ. This 3 day conference kicked off yesterday and is the world’s largest conference dedicated to green building. This expo is open to the general public and thousands of professionals ranging from architects to urban planners to universities come together for educational sessions, exhibits, and workshops centered on sustainable innovations in the industry. Find out more about the expo by visiting http://www.greenbuildexpo.org.
This is a great way for companies to network with their peers and industry experts to share thoughts and ideas on pushing the green movement forward. As real estate companies, we should be working towards the same goal. We are in constant contact with interior designers, landscapers, construction companies, and other building professionals and we should think of these connections as an opportunity. Take a look around your community; you’ll find a number of local businesses that are incorporating green initiatives into their work. By teaming up with these individuals, we are setting a great example for how to lead an eco-friendly lifestyle.
So what does this mean for our customers? Simply put- it’s about education. If we’re working with green companies and making an effort to learn about the importance of sustainable living, we are able to pass this along to our customers. We have an opportunity to teach people how to live consciously. By helping people think of a product’s life cycles, by helping them to make the choice not to waste energy and by informing them how to live better and smarter, we’re able to have a much smaller negative impact on the earth.
It’s not an easy task on our part, but it’s important from a company stand point as well. Over the last few years sustainability awareness has increased dramatically, but there are still some common myths about going green that we’d like to address. By knowing our customers’ misconceptions, we are better equipped to address these concerns. Like we’ve said before, it’s important to meet the demands of our customers. As our customers move toward a more eco-friendly attitude, it’s important as a business to understand the questions they may have on the topic.
Here are a few common myths consumers have when purchasing homes and how we can address them.
Myth #1: Sustainability is too expensive: There is this idea that green products cost more, but as newer technology is introduced and consumer demand increases, prices will drop. It may cost more up front for an Energy Star refrigerator, but once it’s installed in your home, you have the potential of cutting that related cost in half. For more information on Energy Star appliances, visit http://www.energystar.gov.
Myth #2: Sustainability means lowering our standard of living: Sustainability isn’t about having to turn down our heat and pile on the sweaters. Sustainability is about doing more and using less energy. For example, keep the thermostat on a timer. By lowering the temperature during the day when you’re not home will help cut your energy costs down.
Myth # 3: Going green is overwhelming and time consuming: People are busy these days and don’t think they have the time to find different ways to go green. This is a great way for us to step up to the plate. When we show potential buyers a home, start a discussion on ways to make the house more energy efficient. Give them the resources needed to live a sustainable lifestyle.
Sustainability is not a passing fad and if we start now, we’re going to be better prepared at interacting with this new age consumer. If Greenbuild 2009 is any indication, companies around the world understand the importance of green living and are working to stay ahead of their competition by meeting the needs of these eco-conscious consumers. As we’ve said before, the customer is the key to our success and we must adapt to their changing lifestyle. For more information for green building and education, check out the Washington D.C. based U.S. Green Building Council (the host of Greenbuild 2009) at http://www.usgbc.org.
In honor of Earth Day a couple weeks ago, we’d like to take this time and talk about current trends in green living and what we’re doing to ensure our company is more environmentally-friendly. Being green and saving energy is most often about changing our habits. Whether it’s turning off a light switch when we leave a room or not leaving the water running while we brush our teeth, these little changes that can make a huge difference.
