It can be a month with very little green around Washington – but this month is quite different!  This weekend is our launch of the first multi-family LEED Platinum (candidate) condo project in Washington DC.  If how you live and impact the environment is important to you, this is the project you should see.  Frankly, I have never seen so much insulation and during the recent cold snap, I could really tell a difference.  So if solar panels, rain barrels, low flow faucets, heat pump water heaters, and Energy Star get your blood pumping, visit us Sunday from 1-4pm.  www.petworthgreenbuilding.com 

You don’t have to have LEED certification to “green” your home.  We’ll also be offering tips on simple things you can do around your house that are designed to use less energy.  For example, do you have insulation in your attic?  I can’t tell you how many homes I visit in the DC area with zero insulation in the attic.  If you do nothing else, do that!

See you Sunday!

I’m pleased to announce we will be representing one of only two LEED Platinum certified residential buildings in Washington, DC.  The Solidago is a three unit condominium in Petworth priced from $300,000 and up.  Details to follow soon.

Representing this building makes me think about environmentally friendly development and causes me to wonder why there are only two residential buildings with LEED Platinum certification in the city?  That seems astounding doesn’t it? 

While most homeowners are unlikely to move through the requirements of LEED, I have learned through my education to represent this building there are a few things homeowners can do to dramatically increase their efficiency.  The easiest and perhaps most important are these three things.  1) insulation – do you have enough, particularly in the attic, and around your windows and doors.  2) water usage – low flow showers, low flush toilets - huge opportunities there 3) heating and cooling – what is the SEER rating of your unit?  If it is more than 10 years old, it may be significantly less efficient than a new one.

Focus there and you’ll notice an improvement in the way you use energy.