Residential Real EstateGreen Design Elements as Profit Centers
Real estate consumers are increasingly choosing environmentally friendly products and corresponding service providers. Residential and commercial builders, remodeling companies and design professionals who accept this paradigm and adapt unique green building products and eco-friendly innovations will keep ahead of the competition in a cost-effective manner.
"As green design concepts have become more mainstream, there is a growing movement to find unique products that improve indoor air quality, reduce energy costs and protect the environment all while enhancing personal comfort," sais Peter Newman, President of Speedheat, makers of the Generation4TM electric radiant floor heating systems. "Our Generation4 underfloor warming systems simultaneously promote health, conservation, safety and comfort, making them an ideal choice as a green building product."
Speedheat offers electric radiant heating solutions that can be installed under virtually any flooring material including carpet, ceramic tile, stone, floating wood, laminates, and vinyl. Systems are easy to install in a single room or throughout an entire house and offer the ultimate in flexibility, control and comfort. An example is SpeedRugBuddyTM, the only UL-listed heating mat in the world, approved for use under area rugs. Like an electric blanket for the floor, RugBuddyTM turns regular area rugs into invisible space heaters and is an ideal solution for warming cold spots in any room of the home or office.
"Because Speedheat"s Generation4TM heating element is optimally engineered to be "in touch" with floor finishes, it warms floors faster than any other systems and at lower, safer temperatures," explained Pieter Jansens, Chairman of Speedheat International, who also stated that all Speedheat® products have undergone rigorous testing, including complete submersion in water while energized. "Our G4 element improves comfort, health and safety. It also protects sensitive flooring and slashes energy consumption. Furthermore, only Speedheat is fully customized to meet the specific needs of each application."
Recognizing the power afforded by mother nature, Alan Hahn, a career entrepreneur and Silicon Valley "gun for hire" famous for making the shared tenant services (STS) model profitable, has teamed with Peter Fuller, a go-to-market strategist, to found a company that makes solar power a profit center for real estate owners. According to Hahn, solar investment costs building owners millions of dollars, with the majority of the benefit flowing to the tenant. Tenants aren"t inclined to invest in the building they rent. These competing interests stall solar adoption in the commercial real estate market, despite a strong desire by both owners and tenants for environmentally friendly, renewable energy.
"As was the case in STS, there exists today a real need for a company that removes primary obstacles, such as capital equipment costs, for commercial real estate owners," said Hahn. "Owners want green energy; tenants want to consume it; and both the environment and nation benefit if commercial real estate makes the move to renewable solar power. That"s why I founded this company."
In STS, commercial real estate owners received revenue sharing for long distance service, Internet access and telephone equipment deployed in their buildings. Tenants took advantage of these premium telecommunication services without building owners paying any of the capital costs to provide them. For Fairchild, Hahn grew this business into the most successful STS model in the United States, turning a $40MM investment into a $1.1 billion return and acquiring 21 competitors in just 12 years.
"I"ve watched this market mature during the last eight years and have seen many solar service business plans," said Ephraim Lindenbaum, managing partner of Advance Ventures. "This is by far the best team, with the right focus and technology. The work they"ve done over the last six months sets the stage for some very interesting announcements."
Focus and technology, and interesting announcements haven become hallmarks of the "green" movement. The idea is take these concepts and turn them into profit. These and many other providers are delivering products that can accomplish just that for savvy builders.