BEYOND GREEN

Welcome to the first-ever Beyond Green column, a monthly E RealEstateExec article sponsored by Viridian Group, a full-service Real Estate brokerage founded on sustainability principles.

This column is an educational tool that is intended for use by Real Estate professionals. It is my deepest hope that we as Real Estate professionals can assist in educating the general public on the issues of global warming, and because each city can effect positive changes in its own neighborhoods, the Beyond Green column will examine global issues through the lens of local actions. Over the next year, we will learn how we as members of the Real Estate community can make small changes that will add up to a tangible contribution to the environment.

In the spirit of improving our relationship with our surroundings, the column will feature a “Green Tip of the Month” section that will focus on specific ways in which a Real Estate professional can improve the environment. It is my goal to provide a clear and simple plan of action that will help each of us focus on what we, individually, can do.

Why Green?
As most of us are already aware, we face global concerns such as rising temperatures, rising sea levels, contamination of drinking water, the poor quality of air, food shortages, and deforestation, and these issues threaten the health and safety of billions of people. For instance, the summertime Antarctic ice sheet is shrinking at a rate of nearly 9 percent per decade. Although the melting of floating ice doesn’t affect sea level, the melting of land-based ice does. Melting on the Antarctic and Greenland landmasses threatens coastal cities worldwide.

As another example, the rising ocean temperature has produced an increasing trend in the annual number of major ocean storms, with 2005 representing an all-time record. The community of scientists who study the environment—or at least those researchers who are not funded by private interests—have reached the consensus that these environmental concerns are caused primarily by human activity.

The Good News
In 1997, the United Nations Environment Programme released the first in an ongoing series of Global Environmental Outlook (GEO) reports. These reports summarize the state of the global environment and outline the solutions for sustainability. The fourth report, known as GEO-4, was released in October of 2007. GEO-4 says that the current damage to the environment can still be fixed. The report cites past success stories in which large-scale efforts have resulted in environmental improvements. Two examples are the revitalization of the North American plains and the ongoing repair of the ozone layer.

Reclaiming the Farmlands
Short-sighted farming practices in the 19th and early 20th centuries depleted the topsoil of the Great Plains of the United States and Canada. In the 1930s, poor soil quality combined with draught to produce the Dust Bowl, or massive dust storms that seriously affectedthe food supply.

In order to combat this catastrophe, North American farmers adopted—through voluntary efforts and also through regulation—crop rotation and other sustainable farming practices. The efforts weresuccessful; the Great Plains have transformed from a human-made desert into an ongoing source of food.

Repairing the Ozone Layer
A layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere protects humans from some types of harmful solar radiation. During the 20th century, industrial uses of substances called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) disrupted thechemical processes in the ozone layer. As a result, the entire ozone layer thinned. Moreover, the layer over Antarctica disappeared altogether, creating the infamous “ozone hole.” If ozone layer depletion had continued unchecked, entire populations would have been vulnerable to eye damage and skin cancer.

Fortunately, implementation of the 1989 Montreal Protocol drastically reduced the use of CFCs worldwide. Due to a long lag time in CFCs’ effects on the atmosphere, the ozone hole has continued to expand. The good news is that the expansion has slowed and is projected to reverse. Thanks to positive changes in human behavior, the protectivelayer is expected to return to pre-industrial thickness by 2075.

Models for Future Success
GEO-4 cites the reclamation of Midwestern farmlands and the repair of the ozone layer as models for solving the current environmental challenges. Both problems were addressed with a combination of regulation and voluntary efforts. Current challenges—including the restoration of the climate—require a similar combination of efforts.

How Can the Real Estate Community Contribute?
Although the Real Estate community is only peripherally involved in environmental regulation, individual Real Estate professionals are poised to effect significant positive changes through voluntary actions and education. According to GEO-4, one way to repair the environment is to build sustainable developments, and who better to educate our community on such future developments than the Real Estate community?

In the United States, the most widely accepted standard for sustainability is set by the U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which established the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. The purpose of LEED is to provide third-party verification that a building project is environmentally responsible. LEED certification is a badge of honor for developers who wish to attract the rapidly growing segment of tenants who are green-conscious.

There are several developments in Las Vegas that are working toward or have already received LEED certification. One example, Sullivan Square, is designed to reclaim 100 percent of the water used by its tenants. By using reclaimed water for landscaping and cooling systems, Sullivan Square will save 45 million gallons of water every year. As another example, CityCenter will be the world’s largest LEED-registered development. It is very impressive that we have the future models of sustainable communities already being built here in our backyard, and it is time we become educated on the benefits that such projects offer to both our clients and our city.

Lynn Simon, a LEED faculty member who serves on the board of directors for USGBC, says that developers are in especially good positions to make environmentally sound decisions. She explains, “A developer can build with solar panels on the roof to absorb sunlight, install Energy Star appliances, choose hardwood floors or environmentally friendly carpet, plant trees on the property, and make a whole series of good choices.”

Although developers can make a wider range of decisions than most Real Estate professionals can make, REALTORS® who sell existing structures can also contribute to sustainability. For instance, installing five Energy Star fluorescent bulbs costs about $25, but the benefit is a selling point—a savings of $150 in annual energy bills.

Besides the ideas given in this article, there are thousands of environmentally beneficial actions a Real Estate professional can take. In the coming months, this column will focus on such actions.

When you make choices that affect the environment, it helps to keep in mind that the Earth itself is not in danger. This planet will swing around the sun whether the ice caps melt or not. We are not working to save the Earth, but rather to save ourselves, our children and our grandchildren. Together, through millions of small actions and good decisions, humans are uniting to accomplish this goal. And we at E RealEstateExec will continue to take a leadership role.

GREEN TIP OF THE MONTH:

One major cause of climate change is the massive infusion of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The total amount of carbon that you release into the atmosphere is called your carbon footprint. You can help to restore the climate by reducing your carbon footprint. To calculate your carbon footprint, and to learn how to reduce it, visit www.carbonfootprint.com.

Dale Rowse is the owner and president of Viridian Group. He is responsible for the strategic and long-range planning of Viridian Group, a full-service brokerage firm specializing in high-rise residential and commercial Real Estate. Prior to founding Viridian Group, Dale was licensed at RE/MAX CENTRAL, where he received numerous awards and recognitions for his sales production. Dale received his Real Estate license in 2003 after graduating from the Southern Nevada School of Real Estate. He also attended Real Property Law courses at UNLV, completing the class with a perfect 4.0. Dale can be reached by calling (702) 733-1130 or visit Viridian’s Web site at www.ViridianGroup.com.