The Pasadena Eco House Project is for sale. This has been in planning for 24 months and has full approval to start building now.  The project includes: lot, plans and permits.

This home, designed to be the first Platinum LEED Certified home in Pasadena, offers many energy saving advantages. It ‘s construction utilizes insulated concrete panels that are far superior to standard wood construction. It is resistant to natural hazards such as earthquake, fire and wind. All systems and materials planned for the home are state-of -the -art and environmentally friendly. Solar panels keep you off the grid. Ductless heating and air-conditioning is efficient. Floor to ceiling Anderson windows offer beautiful views. Attention to detail has been key to making this an exquisite home in style as well as function. This is your opportunity to own a home that is destine to become a Pasadena architectural landmark.

The address is 1614 Pleasant Way, Pasadena, CA 91105. The lot is listed in the MLS #22122779. If you have ever thought about building a custom green home in a wonderful neighborhood … This is your chance to be GREEN before next spring.

It is said that “the apple does not fall far from the tree.” In the case of Fresh & Easy and its relationship to parent company Tesco, nothing could be closer to the truth. Advancing Tesco’s long standing tradition of environmental stewardship, ethical trading and community outreach is making Fresh & Easy a welcome addition to neighborhoods throughout the greater Southwest. With the simple goal of making fresh high-quality groceries available and affordable for everyone, Fresh & Easy is being enthusiastically embraced by Communities with much anticipation and fanfare.

A commitment to green building

We are trying to set a global example by measuring and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, helping to stimulate the development of low carbon technology and by empowering consumers by providing them with choice, value and information,” states Fresh & Easy CEO, Tim Mason. Backing up these words with action, the 500,000 square feet of solar panels on the new Fresh & Easy distribution center in Riverside, CA span the size of five football fields and are considered one of the largest roof-mounted solar installations in North America.

Not stopping there, Fresh & Easy has developed a prototype for their individual 10,000 square foot sized stores that employ the latest in sustainable building measures. As a company Fresh & Easy as joined Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’s volume certification program, enabling them to build multiple LEED certified buildings using the same prototype.

Some of the features included in their buildings include:

• Skylights on Fresh & Easy buildings with overhead lighting that dims automatically as ambient light levels increase from natural sources.
• Increased insulation, reducing the need for heating and air conditioning.
• Night shades on refrigeration cases to keep cool air from escaping.
• Hybrid parking spaces and bike racks for employees and customers.
• Secondary-loop system on refrigeration cases designed to capture and reuse cool air.
• LED lighting in external signage and freezer cases, reducing energy use.
• Water conserving plumbing fixtures.
• Buildings constructed from environmentally friendly materials.
• Low VOC emitting finishes and materials as part of creating indoor environmental quality for customers and employees.

These innovations have resulted in making Fresh & Easy stores 30% more energy efficient than the typical supermarket (through a modeling exercise from Southern California Edison Savings by Design)

A Good Neighbor

In addition to “walking the walk” in relation to building design and construction methods, Fresh & Easy practices common sense good neighbor policies and is involved in community outreach programs.

• Fresh & Easy is a member of the California Climate Action Registry, California’s only voluntary registry for greenhouse gas emissions, and the Climate registry, a group that standardized the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions across North America.
• Every store recycles all of its display and shipping materials.
• Fresh & Easy offers only energy-efficient light bulbs in its stores.
• Fresh & Easy does not sell tobacco products.
• Fresh & Easy trucks are designed to significantly reduce noise. Trucks will not drive through school zones during student drop-off and pick-up times, and deliveries are only permitted during designated hours.
• Each store is provided with a budget to make product donations to the local neighborhood.
• Fresh & Easy aims to recruit staff from the local neighborhood.
• Out of respect for the indoor environment, Fresh & Easy uses only eco-friendly cleaning products, while keeping their stores immaculately clean and tidy.

With own-brand products accounting for over 70% of sales, Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market recently announced plans to introduce over 200 new own-brand products by the end of 2008.

Over 80% of customers cite Fresh & Easy’s own brand products as one of the main reasons they shop the stores, based on the company’s customer surveys. Customers are drawn to Fresh & Easy by the everyday low prices and the convenience of a store located right in the neighborhood. Fresh & Easy customers also like the own-brand ready-to-eat meal options which are like what they would make at home. All Fresh & Easy products contain no artificial flavors or colors, no added trans fats and only use preservatives when absolutely necessary.

A sign of things to come

With all the legitimate “hand wringing” that is going on in our society today as the news and evidence of climate change and environmental overload keep rolling in, it’s some consolation to know that there are companies who are committed to doing their part to reduce that unfortunate trend. Clearly Tesco and their offspring Fresh & Easy are outstanding examples of companies who have seen the problem while stepping to the forefront with an offering of solutions.

This is obviously good news for those of us who are holding the vision for a reversal of environmental fortunes…and what better place to start than with the building and retail industry. Even better news however is that companies like Fresh & Easy are no longer the exception to the rule. ICSC (the International Council of Shopping Centers) recently sponsored an all green conference on Addison, TX where leaders of the retail industry came together to share their positive experiences in embracing Retail Green Agenda.

At that conference a book of the same name was given out to the attendees. It is chocked full of green building and energy management tips for the retail industry. Included in that publication were many examples of how numerous retail chains are finding that through thoughtful green insight they are not only saving big on operating energy costs. but are also seeing an increase in retail sales in the stores that employ green design principles.

Surprise…surprise…people prefer shopping in environments where the air is fresh and the isles are well illuminated by natural light. Recognizing that these same stores are taking responsibility by practicing environmental stewardship also strengthens customer loyalty. Finally…knowing that these practices are helping to ease the burden on our one and only home…Planet Earth, makes the greening of retail a win/win arrangement for all.

I was eager to find out more about Energy Efficient Mortgages, water conservation, wind power, solar power, rebate programs and energy raters. These subjects have been spoken of for some time but have seemed off limits to people of average means.

This is what Eco Broker encompasses. It pertains to informing and educating home buyers and sellers about home energy usage. The more competitive the “Green” field becomes the more affordable “Green” products become. Bottom line is “It’s Easy Being Green”. I was amazed that with some education and effort you can make your existing home more energy efficient.  The US Building Council has even set new guidelines (LEED) for certifying existing homes, not just new construction. This is great news to the people of Pasadena since the majority of homeowners live in homes built in the 1920′s to 1960′s.

This is important because I believe selling your home in the near future will include the Energy Ratings, which will become as ubiquitous as the square feet and lot size measurements. Just two moths ago a bill authorized by former speaker Fabio Nunez was in front of the state assembly requiring an energy rating on each home sold. It was not passed at this time but other states are also claiming to be taking an energy conscious approach such as Colorado & Arizona, and possibly Texas. I believe we will see it is on the verge of passing in our near future. With the rise of energy costs, it will not be mandated by law, but by necessity. In the Pasadena Star News, So Cal Edison may possibly increase rates by 30% in the next year alone. This enforces my motto for selling your home “Go Green 2 Be Seen”.

This is a fascinating field. It will explode over the next  year and my job is to learn about all Green aspects and keep you Up2date. I will be writing a series of articles about Green technology, so stay tuned….

Pictured: Top, Dr. John Beldock, President & CEO of Eco Broker International with Deena Willis, Broker & Contributing author of up2date. Bottom picture: manning the booth at Vibrant Solar

Your reluctance stemming from what you perceive as no immediate benefit or change. It is analogous to taking a multi vitamin everyday; you know it’s good for you, however you just do not feel any different. Unlike the new shampoo that will make your hair shine or that pain reliever that will get rid of your throbbing headache.

If we are to embrace a new green lifestyle we must move away from the present short term thinking many of us have and begin to think about the long term benefit and reward. It is my understanding that our current air quality here in the LA area is much better today than it was 25 to 30 years ago. The changes that were implemented to clean up the atmosphere were surely met with resistance. People sometimes just don’t like change. As you can see however, there has been a tremendous benefit. Our job here is to expand on issues related to real estate, not get caught up in the hot potato issues of the day with regards to fossil fuels and offshore drilling. We will leave that to the political bloggers.

With many major retailers and manufacturers realizing there is green to be made with green, its significance in real estate will become more and more predominant. A market is beginning to develop in this area, but to date it’s nothing more than just the infancy stages of development. As we continue to bring you the latest technologies with the construction of the Pasadena Eco House, our goal is to also provide you with thoughts and ideas on how you can incorporate a green lifestyle into your own home.

Last week Deena Willis, a Pasadena Real Estate Broker attended the Green Real Estate Conference held in Denver, Colorado. This two day event focused on technologies and applications in real estate. Eco friendly solutions in real estate will create a burgeoning new industry, creating products that will be innovative and state of the art as well as vendors and manufacturers that will play on consumer’s desires with misrepresentation and deceit. Our purpose will be to provide the necessary information and research to help you make informed decisions.

We are now seeing the huge impact that hybrid cars and trucks are having on the automobile industry, with helping to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. These changes did not happen over night. It takes people a while to learn and understand that new technologies may enhance their lives with increased efficiency, savings, greater comfort or better quality of life.

Housing is no exception. So many of the technologies are new and have yet to hit the mass market, they are not household names. Plus here in the Pasadena area we are not over run with new construction, the primary source for much of these innovative products. Using these new innovations into our everyday life will take some time. Consumers will begin to embrace and adopt new methods and materials as they become more mainstream and when they can see it being utilized by their neighbor. Remember how long it took for cell phones to become affordable? Now everybody has one.

New Construction Processes

One of the early adopters of green building was the NormThompson Company. You may recognize their product if not the name. Next time your on an airplane reach into the seat pocket in front of you. The in-flight shopping guide will probably feature the Solutions Catalog. The building features some unique products including Philippine Wood in the lobby floor which came from decommissioned railroad boxcars. Most of the floors and walls came from recycled beer bottles and windshield glass, mixed with cement powder.

Looking for an example a little closer to home. Try the Audubon Center at Debs Park. Some of the rebar in the building was melted down guns collected by the City of Los Angeles. Also according to the site, more than 97% of the debris accumulated during construction was recycled.

Green Housing, Its Time Has Come

Anytime a discussion concerns environmental issues. it can usually be supplanted with political undertones. This is not one of those times. Using recyclable, sustainable, eco-friendly products in the manufacturing of housing should become the rule, not the exception. If the technology exists to build a stronger structure that is more energy efficient and saves on our natural resources, why not use it? If xeriscaping can replace the water thirsty lawns and shrubs we have in our yards, why not do it? Water is going to become a more precious commodity to us in the future. The City of Pasadena has begun to ask its citizens to be more conscience of the water they use.

As individuals and communities become more versed in the benefits that “green” construction offers, we will gradually see these become routine and standard procedures. There are many things people can begin doing now that will provide an immediate an ongoing benefit. We will take a look at some of these in our next article.