Smart Growth Realty teams up with the Ecovida Development Group for Smart Home project in North Miami Beach

It is with great excitement that the EcoVida Development Group is proud to team up with Carlos del Amo and his green real estate company Smart Growth Realty for this project the EcoVida Smart Home. A pioneering project bringing like minded people, companies and institutions together for a common goal to educate, to raise awareness and to change people’s mindsets about sustainable and green living.

The Ecovida Smart home designed by builder and visionary Dane Jackman,LEED AP and founder of Jackman Construction has outdone himself in achieving a "Net Zero" energy efficient home "says Carlos".

The showcase house will feature one of the most extensive uses of green building products and integrated “smart” technologies ever assembled in one demonstration house; to create a true Net-Zero, 100% energy efficient and self-sustaining building. The 1,726 sf, 3-Bedroom, 2-Bath home will be crafted with green materials and products that are donated by building partners and sponsors.

Some of the home's unique green features include :

Solar Panels for generating the home’s electricity needs with Net Metering.

Solar Water Heater for generating the home’s hot water needs.

Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) walls and ceilings providing air tight super insulation, superior hurricane and fire resistance.

Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) multi-split AC system for independently heating and cooling different zones.

HEPA air filtration and purification systems.

Fully automated smart panel for integrating and controlling energy management, audio visual, Compact Fluorescent lighting, communications and home security systems.

A Green Roof for turf replacement, insulation and vegetation growth.

A Rain Capture System for flushing toilets, washing clothes and washing cars.

Highly efficient windows and skylights for natural interior lighting and ventilation.

Outdoor living areas including a roof top terrace, an interior courtyard and green decking.

Electric charging station in the garage for Electric Vehicle.

Energy Star appliances and water efficient plumbing fixtures.

No- or low-VOC paints.

Biometric and remote door access - open and lock the doors from anywhere in the world through internet or cell phone.

Permeable driveway and walkway made of recycled material to reduce surface water run-off.

Xeriscape Landscaping - low water consuming plants and gardening practices that significantly lower water consumption.

Finish materials throughout made from recycled content or from renewable sources.

Miami Dade Walkscore Rating - 67

If you are interested in finding out more about building the Ecovida Smart Home, please email us at info@SmartGrowthRealty.com

Green home certification programs in Miami from smart growth realty

Smart Growth Realty, a Miami based environmentally friendly real estate company specializing in Green and LEED residential homes has put together a list of green certification programs aiming to create awareness in sustainable building practices. Below are some of the most important programs for your viewing.

LEED

(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and LEED for Homes (LEED-H)
Created by the US Green Building Council, it covers a broad spectrum of efficiencies each of 8 areas in LEED for Homes are given a score which sum up to the LEED Rating. At 45 points the property is Certified. At 60 points the certification is given the designation of "Silver". At 75 points "Gold" and 90 points "Platinum" with total possible points of 136. LEED for Commercial uses the same principal with some differences in the areas rated and the scale of possible scores.

ENERGY STAR

To earn the ENERGY STAR, a home must meet guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20–30% more efficient than standard homes.

HERS

Home Energy Rating System)
The HERS Index is a scoring system established by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) in which a home built to the specifications of the HERS Reference Home (based on the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code) scores a HERS Index of 100, while a net zero energy home scores a HERS Index of 0. The lower a home’s HERS Index, the more energy efficient it is in comparison to the HERS Reference Home.

Each 1-point decrease in the HERS Index corresponds to a 1% reduction in energy consumption compared to the HERS Reference Home. Thus a home with a HERS Index of 85 is 15% more energy efficient than the HERS Reference Home and a home with a HERS Index of 80 is 20% more energy efficient.


National Green Building Standard (NGBS)

Created by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), it is much like LEED-H, 7 categories are tested and given a numeric score. This score is summed for a total rating value and a performance point level of Bronze, Silver, Gold or Emerald is given.

Enterprise Green Communities

Enterprise Green Communities provides resources and expertise to enable developers to build and rehabilitate homes that are healthier, more energy efficient and better for the environment -- without compromising affordability. Green Communities also assists state and local governments to ensure their housing and economic development policies are smart and sustainable.



Living Building Challenge



Is a program launched and operated by the Cascadia Region Green Building Council and goes beyond the LEED standard by the US Green Building Council. A building, neighborhood, renovation, or infrastructure (non-conditioned space) which meets this rigorous green building standard must achieve all corresponding prerequisites or imperatives (no point system).




Local Programs



Many local communities have Green Building Guidelines that have been established by their local building professionals. In some communities they are the primary designation of Green Homes rather than utilizing one of the national programs above. Check with your local Contractors Association to see which local, regional, or state programs are most appropriate for your MLS.

Pending Homes sales drop as expected due to Tax credit expiration

WASHINGTON (July 1, 2010) – Following a surge driven by the home buyer tax credit, pending home sales fell with the expiration of the deadline for qualified buyers to sign a purchase contract, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The Pending Home Sales Index,* a forward-looking indicator, dropped 30.0 percent to 77.6 based on contracts signed in May from a reading of 110.9 in April, and is 15.9 percent below May 2009 when it was 92.3. The falloff comes on the heels of three strong monthly gains as home buyers rushed to take advantage of the tax credit.

The data reflects contracts and not closings, which normally occur with a lag time of one or two months. However, many closings have been delayed recently from a rush of buyers into the system and slow processing of short sales, in addition to the heavy volume and a more thorough loan underwriting process. As many as 180,000 buyers who signed contracts by April 30 may have missed the June 30 closing deadline for the tax credit. However, Congress passed legislation yesterday to extend the deadline for delayed contracts and President Obama is expected to sign.

NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun said, “Consumers are rational and they rushed to meet the tax credit eligibility deadline in April. The sharp decline in contract signings in May is a natural result with similar low levels of sales activity anticipated in June,” he said. “Surprisingly, though, some local markets such as Portland, Maine, and Jacksonville, Fla., actually experienced an increase in contract signings from a year ago without the tax credit.

“Existing-home sales that close in June will remain elevated, but we’ll then see a notable decline for July and August.”


Congress also reauthorized the National Flood Insurance Program. Many lenders were hesitant to approve mortgages on homes needing flood insurance without congressional action and numerous sales have been on hold. The action is retroactive to a temporary authorization that expired May 31, and also is expected to be signed by the president.

Yun noted the tax credit has broadly stabilized home prices. “Without the tax credit, there will be more aggressive price negotiations between buyers and sellers. The key test on whether the housing market can stand on its own without stimulus medicine will depend critically on private sector job creation in the second half of the year. We’ll also keep a close eye on market conditions on the Gulf Coast.”

Through May of this year 495,000 net private sector jobs have been created; NAR’s forecast for employment growth is about 1 million additional net new jobs over the balance of the year and another 2 million in 2011.

“If jobs come back as expected, the pace of home sales should pick up later this year and reach a sustainable level of activity given very favorable affordability conditions,” Yun said.

“In most areas of the country there will be no sharp snap back in home prices in the upcoming years, although some local markets have experienced double-digit gains this year,” Yun said. NAR forecasts the national median home price to rise only 4 percent cumulatively over the next two years.

“One factor that could lead to price acceleration in upcoming years for some markets is if the very low levels of new home construction were to persist for another year or two,” he added.

The PHSI in the Northeast fell 31.6 percent to 67.0 in May and is 14.8 percent lower than May 2009. In the Midwest the index dropped 32.1 percent to 70.8 and is 20.2 percent below a year ago. Pending home sales in the South fell 33.3 percent to an index of 82.5, and are 14.4 percent lower than May 2009. In the West the index declined 20.9 percent to 85.3 and is 15.1 percent below a year ago.

The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

Copyright National Association of REALTORS®. Reprinted with permission.