<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The Nevada ENERGY STAR Partner – GREEN Alliance brought together a panel for a discussion on the new, commonly known, audit on sale law in the state of Nevada.<br />
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While this topic was of great debate in 2010 while the regulation was being drafted. It was very apparent for the GREEN Alliance to begin discussion on what ‘it is’… and begin moving forward in a united effort versus a fragmented and ineffective manner.<br />
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As the regulation gave less than a month to execute the law. The GREEN Alliance represents a collaborative coalition of all sectors in real estate. Therefore, bringing leadership to the breakfast meeting to address how to implement the new law and what it really means. <br />
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Linda Rheinberger brought her many years of leadership in real estate, as past president of NVAR and Broker/Owner of One Source Realty & Management, to the table and discussed the ‘what’ & ‘how’ from a real estate perspective. The objective is to begin dialogue on how to apply the new ‘Seller’s Energy Consumption Form’ into daily practices. It is also recognized that this form will continue to take shape as the real estate industry begins working with it.<br />
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Richard Cummins, with SNAPPI and Associated Inspectors, delivered the contents of the ‘Seller’s Energy Consumption Form’ of which a seller or a certified home inspector is to provide the information for this form. While this is new to the inspector profession, SNAPPI has held training and will continue to hold training programs. Richard discussed the differences between the required form and the commonly known Home Energy Audits. There is notably differences in the information collected for the home buyer on the new SECF versus a Energy Audit performed by a BPI/RESNET certified Energy Rater. While the SECF is a good beginning in having conversation at the real estate transaction, it is only a beginning, if a homeowner wants to know how a home performs from a whole house performance standpoint. A professional Energy Rater is the next step to gaining that information.<br />
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Traci Sexton, Branch Manager at Wells Fargo, presented the value of the Energy Efficient Mortgage where a homeowner is able to finance energy improvements into a new loan. It’s a great program for homeowners and a financing tool for real estate professionals to offer to their home buyers. <br />
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Alison Haugh, past president of Southern Nevada Building Performance Professionals & principal of Home Energy Licensed Professionals, presented the many different opportunities for rebates that are in place at this time for a homeowner to improve the performance of their home. Southwest Gas offers programs that currently offer thousands back to a homeowner for upgrading their insulations, windows, appliances, hvac systems and others. NV Energy is working on many programs to help homeowners reduce their energy consumption as well. Home Free NV has incentive rebates that are applicable to energy assessments and improvements under the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program, a new emerging program in Nevada.<br />
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Collectively, the panel fielded questions as this new law and energy industry is new and represents change. The GREEN Alliance was proud to bring these leaders together and will continue to deliver information as it becomes available. </span><br />