Green Features

THE RATING SYSTEM
For a property to be eligible as a listing with Green Energy Real Estate, sellers and agents must ensure that the property has at least one of the “green features” items listed below. The green features that are listed on our website range from solar hot water to sustainable gardens and even environmentally sound building techniques and materials. A rating system, called the “leaf star rating” system, has been designed to clearly identify the level of environmentally and climate smart features a property has on offer. The more features your property has, the higher your rating. To obtain one green open (no colour) leaf, the building will need to have at least one item from the list. To obtain colour in the first leaf another item from the list will be required, however for each subsequent energy efficient item a solid colour leaf will added be until a maximum of 5 leaf rating. If your property has a green feature that we haven’t mentioned, please forward your energy saving or environmentally friendly feature on to our team at Green Energy Real Estate for approval.
1 LEAF – The listing must have one environment saving feature to obtain a 1 open leaf (no colour) rating. The property will need another element to have the single leaf in colour. 2 LEAVES – If your property has 3 environmental features, you qualify for a 2 leaves rating.
3 LEAVES – 4 features means a 3 leaves rating.
4 LEAVES – Having 5 environmental features means that your property is highly environmentally friendly and a 4 leave rating.
5 LEAVES – A 5 leave rating means that your property is a climate smart and environmentally sustainable property.
THE GREEN FEATURES ICONS
Solar Hot Water system – A solar hot water system will not only be lessening your family's environmental impact, but saving you money on an ongoing basis. Free hot water courtesy of the sun.
Solar Power – Solar Power systems are helping Australian homes and communities reduce their environmental impact, reduce energy usage and save on energy bills. Solar Power is the cleanest greenest most viable form of renewable energy available.
Wind Power - Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form, such as electricity, using wind turbines. Wind energy is one power sources that is favoured by environmentalists as an alternative to fossil fuels, because they are plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, clean, and produce no greenhouse gas emissions.
Water Tanks - With current water restrictions, particularly in south-east Queensland, many residents are choosing to install rainwater tanks. Depending on the size of the tank, you can use your rainwater for both external and internal usage, which allows you to reduce your water consumption and costs.
Insulated ceilings and / or walls - Insulation is a permanent way to make your home more energy efficient, by regulating the temperature within the house against the varying outside temperatures. Relying less on artificial temperature control reduces greenhouse gases by heating and cooling a house naturally instead of using electric power to do the same job.
Environmental building materials - The buildings we live and work in have a profound impact on the natural environment, the economy and our health. The benefits of environmental building construction and materials is you have a more modern, healthier home with lower energy and water bills, and without any change in occupant behaviour, you can reduce energy use by about 60% and water usage by about 30%. Environmental building techniques – By paying close attention to insulation, sealing off draughts, providing external shading to windows, along with creating ventilation to allow cool outside air into the house, you are able to reduce heat entering your home by up to 90%. Undertaking these aspects saves you money, increases your comfort and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and gives you a high energy conservation rating, which adds to the overall value of your property.
Double Glazing - Double glazing on your windows stops heat from entering or leaving a room. In winter, this allows light through while reducing heat loss, in turn reducing your carbon footprint.
Water Reticulation System – Well designed reticulation systems are a means of using water more efficiently and maximising growth in your garden especially in Australia’s drought prone climate. Once regarded as a luxury, home garden irrigation systems are now both more affordable and more effective.
Water Saving Household Plumbing Appliances - Households use more water in the bathroom than anywhere else inside the house. Having water-saving shower heads, dual-flush toilets, and even fixing leaking taps helps reduce water usage, is easy to do and is an easy step in becoming climate smart.
Waste Water Treatment System – Grey Water - A greywater system in your home could process and redirect up to 50,000 litres of water a year to your garden, toilet or washing machine, that’s enough to fill a large backyard pool.
Sustainable Garden – Community Garden - Carbon emissions from global food production and transportation are seeing renewed emphasis on gardening for self sufficiency. By gardening sustainably we can all make a positive contribution to the health of our planet.
Energy Saving Appliances - To minimise cost and maximise environmental efficiency, a ClimateSmart buyer will consider products that can be easily dismantled for component overhaul, reuse and recycling, and choose good quality products that are durable and can be upgraded. Check consumer guides for advice about energy star ratings and proven efficiency, and it often pays to consider a good second-hand or reconditioned appliance.