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When you think of “green” home design, what do you imagine? Solar panels, tankless water heaters, and maybe high-performance glazing on windows? Sure, all of these are ways for your clients to make their homes a bit more environmentally friendly. But it doesn’t have to be that complicated. Vimal Kapoor, who has been in the business of making homes greener for 32 years, says that green building is the future—and the more you know about it as a REALTOR®, the better equipped for that future you’ll be. Vimal, the chief home inspector at Prime Property Inspectors, LLC, says that the key to green building is an integrative and collaborative approach among the different stakeholders. “Historically, when we build houses, we build them in a linear manner,” he says. “The foundation, framing, systems—mechanical, electrical, and plumbing—and the like.” “But people like myself involved with the design and construction of green buildings realized there was a benefit in taking a collaborative approach—where all parties involved with a particular aspect of building come onboard at an early stage,” he continues. That means, for example, that when a home’s plumbing system is being designed, the hydrologists, landscapers, engineers, and plumbers consult with each other to make sure the system is as efficient as possible.
There are five tenets of green building. First, it should be environmentally friendly. When you’re looking to build a house, consider the site and the community. Are there green spaces, or nearby transit? Are you building on a hillside, meaning soil erosion will eventually be a factor? Are the plants around the building native to the area? How do you plan to water those plants, and where is the excess water run-off going? Vimal points out that nearby deciduous trees, for instance, will shed their leaves in winter and grow them in summer— helping heat and cool the house. 14 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2020
