Green building—that is, the practice of creating healthier and more resource-efficient methods for constructing, renovating, operating, and maintaining buildings—has become increasingly popular across the country, signifying a movement that is expected to continue into the near future. Real estate professionals must therefore have a solid understanding of what building green homes and renovating existing homes to include green features entails. 

This course provides a detailed look at green home qualifications and environmentally friendly, or eco-friendly, remodeling options. It focuses on site standards, construction choices, and energy choices. We cover eco-friendly lot choices and explore the financial and safety concerns associated with green building. The course then discusses important aspects of green construction including building materials, waste management, green certifications, and sustainable design choices.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• describe building site characteristics that are important when building a green home
• explain the advantages and disadvantages of building green
• understand the various rating systems for energy-efficient homes and buildings, specifically LEED and ENERGY STAR
• discuss how solar, wind, micro hydropower, and geothermal heating and cooling can be used as alternate energy sources
• understand how energy efficient and net zero energy homes are designed

Real estate professionals at any level in their career