Ask Eli: Arlington’s Free Green Home Choice Program

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. Please submit your questions to him via email for response in future columns. Enjoy!

Question: Do you have any recommendations or resources to help us improve our home’s energy efficiency?

Answer: Last year, Arlington released its Community Energy Plan, setting forth the goal of becoming Carbon Neutral by 2050. To support that mission, Arlington offers the Green Home Choice Program (GHC), which is a free program that helps homeowners, builders and designers create a more energy efficient and environmentally conscious home. I spoke with Helen Reinecke-Wilt, who manages and personally oversees each project, about the program and its benefits.

What You Get?

Helen and her team provide a free consultation/audit and a detailed, customized guide with the materials and construction requirements that will ensure your home is healthier and more efficient. After the work is complete, you are eligible for an official Green Home Certification from Arlington County, which is similar to LEED Certification common in many commercial buildings (offices and apartments).

Who Qualifies?

Small and big budgets alike! The program is available to everybody from homeowners interested in making small, energy-conscious improvements to builders designing a custom home. If you are building a home, it’s a great idea to have your builder work with Helen and her team! The earlier you involve the GHC program, the more they can do for you.

Benefits

• New homes that are GHC-certified use 42% less energy than non-certified new homes, which equates to a savings of $1600 per year on utilities.
• Renovated homes that are GHC-certified use 55% less energy per square foot with an average utility savings of $600 per year.
• Studies have shown (and here) that 90% of home buyers consider a home’s energy efficiency “very important” in their search criteria and are willing to pay a premium for more efficient homes. The lack of certified green homes means that your new or renovated home will stand out in the market.
• Healthier air, a more durable home and lower utilities.
• Eligible for StormwaterWise grant money.
• Satisfaction of knowing that you are contributing positively to a healthier, more sustainable community.

Cost

The consultation/audit and guidance come at no cost. Depending on the scope of the project, the upgraded construction materials and methods generally add an extra $10k-$20k to the project, however, in many cases builders or homeowners already plan to use similar materials so the added cost is less.

To receive the official Green Home Choice Certification, there’s a $1,500 fee to test your homes efficiency to make sure it meets the requirements to be certified. In my opinion, builders and homeowners will see a significant ROI on this investment, especially for new homes which currently have an average price of nearly $1.9M. Over 350 homes in Arlington have been certified, but many people use the GHC guidance and choose not to complete the certification.

Helen and her team understand that not everybody has the resources to invest tens of thousands of dollars into a GHC certified home and want to make smaller/cheaper, yet effective improvements to their home’s energy efficiency. She prides herself on being able to make these types of recommendations for homeowners after doing an audit of their existing home so don’t shy away from working with her just because you aren’t building a new house or undergoing major renovations!

Thank you Helen and the Green Home Choice team for your contributions to a cleaner, more sustainable community! If you’re interested in working with their team, you can get started by reaching out to them at [email protected] or 703-228-4792.

If you’d like a question answered in my weekly column or to set-up an in-person meeting to discuss local real estate, please send an email to [email protected]. To read any of my older posts, visit the blog section of my website at www.EliResidential.com. Call me directly at (703) 539-2529.

Eli Tucker is a licensed Realtor in Virginia, Washington D.C., and Maryland with RLAH Real Estate, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. #10C Arlington, VA 22203, (703) 390-9460.