Request Information

Advertise with Us

Location: Home

Idaho Real Estate and
Home Buyer Events

Vote for your favorite
Fall Preview Home

Subscribe to the
Treasure Valley
Market Report

Welcome to BuildingCredibility.com

The most comprehensive resource for new homes

Research Idaho Home Builders

Learn about home builders including credentials and qualifications, video interviews and feedback from clients.
Home Builders

Meet credible idaho real estate and construction professionals

Locate Idaho New Subdivisions

Find the New Communities everyone is talking about including lot sizes, starting home values, builder teams and community profiles. Subdivsions

Idaho Real Estate and Construction Insights

Get the latest news, perspectives and advice from the area's authorities. Blogs. Forums. Reports.
Discussions

Idaho MLS Search

Find available homes plus specialized searches.
Idaho Home Search

Idaho's Home Builder Referral Network

Treasure Valley's Most Insightful Construction Resource

Selling Green Should Now Be Easier

Main / Boise Lots and Land The Dirt on Treasure Valley

Its Official! Im finally an EcoBroker!

I’m so excited, and I have to share with you all! I spent last week learning about everything possible in sustainable homes. Or as many people refer to them, Green Homes. At the end of the course, I received my EcoBroker™ designation which basically allows me access to all of the most up-to-date information on sustainable building and how to help customers who are interested in healthier living, reduced utility costs and leaving a smaller carbon footprint as they go through life.

Just a little background, the EcoBroker™ course was designed and implemented five years ago, and until today, there were only 15 EcoBrokers™ in the state of Idaho. As of today, there are now about 55 since my class contained around 40 interested agents. I'm working on the EcoBroker website information now and can't wait to bring you a wealth of information, but I wanted to at least let you know so that you can stay tuned and look out for great resources in sustainable building and retrofitting here in Idaho.

Hopefully, when you think of Green Building and Sustainability, you’ll think of me as your new resource in Idaho!

For more EcoBroker™, please visit the site at www.ecobroker.com

Kit Fitzgerald, EcoBroker™

Red Barn Real Estate

Posted by Kit Fitzgerald at 9/2/2008 1:44 PM

Permalink | Trackback

Comments (14)

Re:Selling Green Should Now Be Easier

Congrats Kit,

I sincerely appreciate your efforts in obtaining your EcoBroker designation. I met your EcoBroker instructor- Stu Galvis at a home tour last week and was very impressed with his passion and knowledge. I understand he was effective in passing that passion on through his training. I have asked Stu for a list of all the agents who attended the EcoBroker class to personally congratulate each and every one of them.
I do think its interesting that at least two of the bloggers on this site were at that class- I keep thinking Trey may need to rename his site GREENBUILDINGCREDIBILITY.COM.
Or maybe BUILDINGGREENCREDIBILITY.COM.

Keep up the good work- Im sure we will meet somewhere down the line.

Bond Campbell
www.leedidaho.com
gogreen@leedidaho.com

Posted by bondcampbell on 9/2/2008 2:09 PM

Re:Selling Green Should Now Be Easier

Kit,
What was the most valuable thing you learned?
Trey

Posted by tlangford on 9/2/2008 2:36 PM

Re:Selling Green Should Now Be Easier

Bond,
Most peope think the name is too long as is, plus over half can't spell the word c r e d i b i l i t y!
Trey

Posted by tlangford on 9/2/2008 2:38 PM

Re:Selling Green Should Now Be Easier

Gosh, there were so many great things, but if I had to sum it up, it would be that there are so many benefits to buying and building green that the cost of doing so is minimal compared to the payoffs. Lower energy bills, better financing options and of course, personal responsibility make the experience worthwhile. Because there is a limited amount of this type of building out there right now, at least here in Idaho, there are so many unknowns and random figures and facts running around. I was so pleasantly surprised to learn about the financing options out there, including higher buying power by purchasing energy efficient homes - it's actually figured into your monthly payment capabilities. Pretty cool stuff!

Posted by Kit Fitzgerald on 9/2/2008 2:41 PM

Re:Selling Green Should Now Be Easier

How about builders like Bond taking the time to talk the talk AND WALK THE WALK. The biggest step that people seem to forget about is actually being a member of green building organization (IE USGBC) vs. riding on the coat tails of those of us who pay our dues and invest the time to improve the programs.

Posted by Anonymous on 9/3/2008 7:32 AM

Re:Selling Green Should Now Be Easier

Kit,

First off, congrats on also obtaining your EcoBroker designation!

Someone posted the anonymous post on Kit's blog and mine, so I am responding to both with the same comment. I do believe that Bond is walking the walk and talking the talk in that I am pretty sure he is a member of the USBGC since I don't think you can build a LEED home wihout out and he is stepping up to the plate and building a LEED Platinum Level home which will probably be ony the second in the Treasure Valley when it is certified.

Keep in mind that any step in the right direction is still positive. Don't fault people for making progress, instead encourage progress!

Jim Paulson, CRS, GRI, EPRO, EcoBroker
Broker/Owner - Progressive Realty Corporation

Posted by Jim Paulson on 9/3/2008 1:40 PM

Re:Selling Green Should Now Be Easier

Thanks Jim...congrats to you too! I think you make a great point, and it's one that was stressed to us all last week in class. Any step towards progress is a good one. Whether big or small, it's a step in the right direction!

Posted by Kit Fitzgerald on 9/3/2008 1:44 PM

Re:Selling Green Should Now Be Easier

Kit and Jim,
As I mentioned on Jim's post previously I am an Active Member of the USGBC and sit on their Advocacy and Public Policy committee. I support the Green Leeders and have attended several of their monthly meetings (by the way their is a Green Leeders Social next week-
Who:
Mac Sheldon, Demilec USA

What:
Mac Sheldon will discuss the public and private incentives available to home buyers and builders using energy efficient technologies. He will also discuss the Energy Efficient Mortgage program, which allows owners to use the money saved on energy use to pay for their home. Demilec USA is the leading supplier of spray foam insulation products and is the partner for this mortgage program.

When:
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Speaker begins: 6:20 pm

Where: NEW LOCATION!!!
Double Tree Riverside Gazebo, (weather permitting, inside if raining)
2900 Chinden Boulevard
Boise, Idaho

Cost:
$5 per person, payable at the event
FREE to EGB member (Emerging Green Builders)

(Light, LOCAL appetizers will be provided, drinks will be available for purchase.)
Please RSVP to greenleeders@gmail.com

*Join us next month!*
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Speaker: TBA

Please forward this invitation to a friend or co-worker or bring a guest to
the event! Membership not required!
Don't miss this opportunity to meet a true 'Green LEEDer' in our community!

We hope to see you there,

Leif Elgethun
Ricci Myers
Sharon Patterson

*Sponsored by the US Green Building Council*

I would like to point out that one of my goals in holding public tours at my current location is to heighten awareness of some of the current available technology in High Performance Homebuilding. I find that people leave the home tour with tangible information on how things can be done differently from the current building model.
I'm not one who believes that our government will bring about change, the change we need will more likely be brought about by those of us here on the front-lines that talk the talk and walk the walk.

Bond Campbell
www.leedidaho.com
gogreen@leedidaho.com

Posted by bondcampbell on 9/3/2008 2:22 PM

Re:Selling Green Should Now Be Easier

Bond.
Under what name are you a member of the USGBC?

Jim.
You can build to LEED and attend meetings without actually being a member of the USGBC. You would be surprised how many people who call themselve green builders or developers won't even spend the few hundred to support the increase in reaching out, rather ride on those that spend the money.

I know your reputation and Kit's as stand up people and true "realtors" but I heard from 2 sources who took the course last week that many people left that course with nothing more than a designation on their business card with very little more understanding or true knowledge than when they came in. A step forward is still a step but who should be leading? A person that slaps a designation on a card or someone that takes what they learn an apply it to their business as a whole?

Posted by Anonymous on 9/3/2008 2:51 PM

Look at the USGBC Members

http://www.usgbc.org/myUSGBC/Members/MembersDirectory.aspx?PageID=1856&CMSPageID=140

Posted by Anonymous on 9/4/2008 7:22 AM

Re:Selling Green Should Now Be Easier

Anonymous,
Just like you I chose to be anonymous with my Membership. The 65 dollars a year dues to be an Idaho Chapter Member does not give you very long coat tails for me to ride on, if that is what you suggest. Maybe you are taking an active role in other areas of leadership towards sustainability and durability and if so I would love to hear about it. I would congratulate you for any and all efforts on that front.

Bond Campbell
www.leedidaho.com
gogreen@leedidaho.com

Posted by bondcampbell on 9/4/2008 11:51 AM

Re:Selling Green Should Now Be Easier

Anonymous,

I will have to follow up on the requirements to build a LEED certified home because it doesn't sound right that you can use their designation without being a member; but I do know that LEED certifies the actual home, not the contractor.

Please have the two people you mentioned who didn't receive any value from the class contact Marc Lebowitz (Executive Officer of the Ada County Association of Realtors who sponsored the event, Kit or myself (as Board of Directors) so we can remedy the situation if it proves true. I know some people just show up to get their mandatory hours in for continuing education and therefore don't participate in class or read the text materials. No one should expect to be an expert after only 16 hours of class however! If the two people you refer to really know so much about this that they didn't receive any new data, we need to tap into their capacity to help our Association put together our own classes. The National Association of Realtors will be unveiling their version at the International Business Conference in November in Orlando.

I do feel that leaders need to lead by example. The designation really doesn't mean any more than the fact you showed up and invested your time. For example, last week my 14 year old son wrote an essay about a fiber belt dyed black and what it meant to him upon receiving a "black belt" in Karate. My wedding ring is not what keeps me faithful to my wife of 25 years, that decision was made when I asked her to marry me!

The designation is similar, it is just a symbol. Dig deeper, ask questions, a true professional should feel honored to interviewed as such!

Jim Paulson
Owner/Broker - Progressive Realty Corporation

Posted by Jim Paulson on 9/5/2008 12:39 AM

Re:Selling Green Should Now Be Easier

This has been an interesting thread to read . . . first of all congrats to Kit and Jim! Great steps forward to distinguish your companies and you personally. Don't stop now . . . keep going!

Having recently completed 6 LEED Gold Homes and being a national and local member of USGBC (Organization that administers LEED) I can tell you that you don't have to be member of the USGBC to receive LEED. You have to pay a little more to do it but it can be done. The thought process of USGBC is that

The LEED process is only verified by USGBC at the very end. People like Tad Duby with On-Point do most of the heavy lifting in conjunction with the builder.

Your point about a designation is spot on. If Bond is a member or not of USGBC should not matter if the client feels that he is educated in green building practices. That is why I always say find a builder you like and trust and then determine which program to use (LEED or NAHB-Green)

Nic Stover
Rubicon Construction
LEED AP
208-573-6743
nic@rubicondevelopment.com

Posted by Nic Stover on 9/5/2008 3:28 PM

Re:Selling Green Should Now Be Easier

Gongrats Nic,
I truly respect your efforts. You should be proud of your accomplishment. I have traveled by your Cascade project many times with great interest. I would love an opportunity to see first the fruits of your labors and hear about the obstacles and how they were overcome. By the way like you I am a member of the local chapter of the USGBC and you are correct when you point out that membership is not required to register or certify a LEED home. I remember a comment that you made to a group of builders at a 100% energy star meeting. They wanted to approve a requirement to be a member of the BCA before you could be listed as a 100% energy star builder. I think you correctly pointed out that the additional cost along with all your other affiliations, would be to much to ask In our current market condition. I personnaly agreed. As one who is already a member of the BCA and has been for many years I have to be careful with how I spread my time and resources as well. That being said I do see the value in the vision of the USGBC and therefore choose to participate at a level I can afford. That being said the value of what I have to offer to the vision of the USGBC will most certainly come from my efforts, and my efforts will be great, not from my money, because I can promise you my money is not so great.

Bond Campbell
Www.LEEDIDAHO.com
Gogreen@LEEDIDAHO.com

Posted by Bond Campbell on 9/5/2008 4:57 PM

Add Comment

Provide comments on this blog entry. If you have an account with this site please sign in.

*Title• *Email• Web Address• *Comments• *Word Verification:

Type the text from the image:

Check more Blog Posts

More Recent Posts

Featured Blog:
3rd Quarter Treasure Valley Market Report
2008 Fall Collection of Homes (Boise Show)
2008 Fall Preview of Homes (Nampa Show)

Popular Sections

Idaho Home Builders
Construction Excellence

Communities

Eagle New Subdivisions
Boise New Subdivisions
Star New Communities

Insights

Tips to finding a builder
2007 In-Migration Report
Parade of Home Awards

Builder Profiles

[ Home ]

|

Idaho Subdivisions

|

ID Builders & Professionals

|

|

Copyright 2005 Treasure Valley Construction Resources. All rights reserved.