2020 REALTORS\u00ae & Sustainability Report<\/a>, 70% of residential agents and 74% of commercial practitioners found that promoting energy efficiency in their listings was somewhat or very valuable. Almost 60% of commercial pros said they are comfortable answering questions from clients about building performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn addition to finding properties that meet clients\u2019 wants, savvy real estate pros are paying attention to construction practices and materials that are being used for sustainability features in both new and older structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Which green building practices should you showcase? Which cutting-edge and resilient materials are most popular now? And what\u2019s the potential return on investment? As you share information with clients, consider three factors: location, consumer priorities, and building trends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Know Your Area<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
While some things\u2014like low-VOC paint and energy-efficient lighting\u2014are important no matter where one is located, other aspects of green building are more location-specific. Considerations differ for building in, say, Alaska versus Alabama.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As an example, the majority of homes in Tennessee have \u00adbelow-ground crawl spaces rather than full basements, notes Alan Looney, president of Castle Homes in Brentwood, Tenn. They can be damp and musty despite vents to the outdoors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To prevent moisture and increase efficiency, Looney says, owners should seal crawl spaces and floors and then place foam around the foundation. Likewise, it\u2019s useful to bolster the insulation in attics. \u201cBy foaming the roof deck and having your mechanical systems in an air-conditioned space, the system doesn\u2019t have to work as hard to cool the entire house,\u201d Looney notes. The bottom line: When you\u2019re serving green clients, you need expertise on the housing stock, as well as the green practices and materials, common in your area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Priority Setting<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Providing a cost-benefit analysis can help determine the payoff for homeowners keen on adapting efficient systems. Looney notes that while underground rain harvesting, geothermal, and solar systems are all options, it can take years to see a return on investment. For instance, a recent geothermal project cost approximately $85,000, Looney explains, whereas a standard air-source HVAC system would have been closer to $45,000. The EPA estimates that homeowners save 30% to 70% on heating bills and 20% to 50% on cooling costs by choosing geothermal over conventional systems. With a 30% tax rebate (a federal incentive that drops to 26% in 2020 and 22% in 2021), the system will take an estimated 12 years to see a financial benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With so many environmental considerations, how do you help clients sort through competing priorities? Kate Stephenson, a partner at Helm Construction Solutions in Montpelier, Vt., believes the top concern for both residential and commercial \u00adclients should be air quality. Why? It affects all aspects of life, from the quality of sleep one gets at home to an employee\u2019s \u00adability to concentrate at work, says Stephenson, whose com\u00adpany focuses on sustainable project management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Air quality issues should be addressed when older buildings are retrofitted. \u201cAs air leakage is reduced to save energy and improve comfort, adding mechanical ventilation brings in fresh air,\u201d Stephenson says. These systems are most important in kitchens and bathrooms, where air can be stale or moist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Castle Homes targets another overlooked part of homes for air cleaning: closets. Installing exhaust fans in closets clears the air of chemicals used by dry cleaners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eyes on Mass Timber<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
An up-and-coming construction material with potential to reduce the industry\u2019s carbon footprint is known as mass timber. This category of engineered wood is gaining attention in the U.S. for its resiliency and efficiency\u2014so far, mostly for large-scale construction projects. Mass timber products consist of fibers, shavings, and other thin layers of wood bound together using resin or industrial glues to make large slabs that fit together easily. The layering process makes an engineered wood stronger than traditional wood, as well as fire- and earthquake-resistant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Though mass timber, also known as cross-laminated timber, was introduced in Europe in the 1990s, the U.S. construction industry is still learning about it. Projects using the material are moving forward, especially in the multifamily sector, but building code and supply issues remain impediments to major expansion. At the start of 2020, the U.S. had 784 mass timber multifamily, commercial, or institutional projects constructed or in design, according to the Wood Products Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Industry observers say as familiarity increases and materials become more available, mass timber has the potential to replace masonry, concrete, and even steel as a go-to material for flooring, walls, or entire buildings. It\u2019s also cost-effective, as large prefabricated panels can be assembled quickly at a building site. Akin to giant Lego pieces, the panels are constructed to fit the precise dimensions needed for a project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe had to find a way to build smarter with science and innovation to create engineered wood products,\u201d says Scott McIntyre, North American business director for performance materials manufacturer Hexion. The company creates resins for engineered wood products that are environmentally responsible and thermally stable. \u201cIn building and construction, we manufacture resins that allow you to use a solid tree,\u201d notes Sydney Lindquist, sustainability leader at Hexion. \u201cPrior to engineered wood products, only about 60% of the tree was used and the rest would be waste.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A common environmental question around mass timber is whether forests are being cleared to produce it. Lindquist says that\u2019s not an issue. \u201cSustainably harvested wood is grown very quickly. It\u2019s not a well-known fact that sustainable forestry helps increase new growth,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
National Association of REALTORS\u00ae
Reprinted with permission<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Tune in to the materials and practices fueling resilient, eco-friendly construction \u201cBeing green\u201d has become more than a catchphrase. It\u2019s a filter through which some people, including real estate buyers, are making life choices. As consumer interest grows in the benefits of eco-friendly, resilient commercial and residential properties, \u00adREALTORS\u00ae are getting the message. In the … <\/p>\n
Continue reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24750","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-real-estate-tips","item-wrap"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Greener Homes Are Made Of - Real Estate Agent and Sales in PA - Anthony DiDonato Broomall, Media, Delaware County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/964792b6994e8cc4cbddc36ad4824908\"},\"headline\":\"What Greener Homes Are Made Of\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-28T14:58:21+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-28T14:58:23+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":963,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/964792b6994e8cc4cbddc36ad4824908\"},\"articleSection\":[\"News\",\"Real Estate Tips\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\\\/\",\"name\":\"What Greener Homes Are Made Of - Real Estate Agent and Sales in PA - Anthony DiDonato Broomall, Media, Delaware County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-28T14:58:21+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-28T14:58:23+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"What Greener Homes Are Made Of\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/\",\"name\":\"Real Estate Agent and Sales in PA - Anthony DiDonato Broomall, Media, Delaware County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania\",\"description\":\"Properties and Real Estate for Sale\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/964792b6994e8cc4cbddc36ad4824908\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"Person\",\"Organization\"],\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/964792b6994e8cc4cbddc36ad4824908\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/anthony-110x150.jpg\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/anthony-110x150.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/anthony-110x150.jpg\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"logo\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/anthony-110x150.jpg\"},\"description\":\"For all of your Real Estate needs, place yourself in the competent hands of a career Realtor who is a Philadelphia native and Delaware County resident. Skilled, smart and enthusiastic about his work and his life, Anthony DiDonato has the appealing combination of business sense and people skills gives him an edge in an industry that demands both. Educated at Drexel University with a dual major in accounting and finance and minors in management and psychology Anthony DiDonato offers over 25 years of experience in the real estate industry. He has been a real estate investor since 1985 and a member of H.A.P.C.O. (Landlord Association). He became a licensed Realtor in 1992 and a member of the Local, Pennsylvania and National Associations of Realtors. Anthony DiDonato is also a member of the Computerized Multiple Listings, (MLS) and Internet Marketing Programs. In 1997 Anthony DiDonato became Century 21 All-Elite, Inc. Corporate Secretary. Anthony DiDonato believes in taking his profession to the highest level of quality service. He is known for finding that \u201cperfect\u201d property in Philadelphia, Delaware County, Chester County, Montgomery County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania for his buyers and helping his sellers prepare their properties so they sell quickly and efficiently. When it comes time to negotiate the terms of a contract, Anthony DiDonato has the knowledge, experience, and professionalism applied to meeting \u2013 or exceeding \u2013 his clients\u2019 expectations. His service to his clients is second to none. His honesty and integrity have been his claim to fame. For Superior Real Estate Representation in the Delaware Valley, Philadelphia, Delaware County, Chester County, Montgomery County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania\u2026 call Anthony DiDonato.\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/author\\\/admin\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What Greener Homes Are Made Of - Real Estate Agent and Sales in PA - Anthony DiDonato Broomall, Media, Delaware County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\/","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\/"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/#\/schema\/person\/964792b6994e8cc4cbddc36ad4824908"},"headline":"What Greener Homes Are Made Of","datePublished":"2025-03-28T14:58:21+00:00","dateModified":"2025-03-28T14:58:23+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\/"},"wordCount":963,"publisher":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/#\/schema\/person\/964792b6994e8cc4cbddc36ad4824908"},"articleSection":["News","Real Estate Tips"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\/","url":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\/","name":"What Greener Homes Are Made Of - Real Estate Agent and Sales in PA - Anthony DiDonato Broomall, Media, Delaware County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania","isPartOf":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/#website"},"datePublished":"2025-03-28T14:58:21+00:00","dateModified":"2025-03-28T14:58:23+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/what-greener-homes-are-made-of\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What Greener Homes Are Made Of"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/#website","url":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/","name":"Real Estate Agent and Sales in PA - Anthony DiDonato Broomall, Media, Delaware County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania","description":"Properties and Real Estate for Sale","publisher":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/#\/schema\/person\/964792b6994e8cc4cbddc36ad4824908"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/#\/schema\/person\/964792b6994e8cc4cbddc36ad4824908","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/anthony-110x150.jpg","url":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/anthony-110x150.jpg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/anthony-110x150.jpg","caption":"admin"},"logo":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/anthony-110x150.jpg"},"description":"For all of your Real Estate needs, place yourself in the competent hands of a career Realtor who is a Philadelphia native and Delaware County resident. Skilled, smart and enthusiastic about his work and his life, Anthony DiDonato has the appealing combination of business sense and people skills gives him an edge in an industry that demands both. Educated at Drexel University with a dual major in accounting and finance and minors in management and psychology Anthony DiDonato offers over 25 years of experience in the real estate industry. He has been a real estate investor since 1985 and a member of H.A.P.C.O. (Landlord Association). He became a licensed Realtor in 1992 and a member of the Local, Pennsylvania and National Associations of Realtors. Anthony DiDonato is also a member of the Computerized Multiple Listings, (MLS) and Internet Marketing Programs. In 1997 Anthony DiDonato became Century 21 All-Elite, Inc. Corporate Secretary. Anthony DiDonato believes in taking his profession to the highest level of quality service. He is known for finding that \u201cperfect\u201d property in Philadelphia, Delaware County, Chester County, Montgomery County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania for his buyers and helping his sellers prepare their properties so they sell quickly and efficiently. When it comes time to negotiate the terms of a contract, Anthony DiDonato has the knowledge, experience, and professionalism applied to meeting \u2013 or exceeding \u2013 his clients\u2019 expectations. His service to his clients is second to none. His honesty and integrity have been his claim to fame. For Superior Real Estate Representation in the Delaware Valley, Philadelphia, Delaware County, Chester County, Montgomery County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania\u2026 call Anthony DiDonato.","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net"],"url":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/author\/admin\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24750","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24750"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24750\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24751,"href":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24750\/revisions\/24751"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24750"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24750"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24750"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}