Good news for contractors regarding the new Lead based paint law.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
www.nahb.org


NAHB Applauds EPA'S Decision to Delay Lead Paint Certification Enforcement

WASHINGTON, June 21--The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decision to delay enforcement of the new Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting rule will provide much-needed time to get more remodelers and other contractors trained - and for EPA to get the word out to consumers about the importance of hiring a certified remodeler, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

"EPA listened to our concerns and did the right thing," said NAHB Chairman Bob Jones, a builder and developer in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

In revised guidance released on Friday, EPA acknowledged that remodelers in many parts of the country have been unable to obtain the required training to comply with the rule - a problem that NAHB has urged the agency to solve since the rule was announced two years ago.

The issue came to a head in May after floods devastated parts of Tennessee and there weren't enough certified remodelers to complete much-needed home repairs. NAHB and its state home builders association proposed a delay in enforcing the rule -- a decision EPA consented to in its letter on Friday.

While remodelers, electricians, heating and air conditioning technicians and other contractors must adhere to lead-safe work practices, including special equipment filters and a ban on open flames, EPA will not take enforcement action against firms that have been unable to obtain certification until Oct. 1 of this year.

Individual contractors must apply to enroll in a training class by Sept. 30 and complete the training by Dec. 31, 2010.

"This rule potentially affects about 79 million homeowners. That's how many homes were built before 1978, when lead paint was banned," Jones said. "We need significantly more contractors certified than the 300,000 who have taken the training course, and we also need to make sure that affected homeowners understand the importance of hiring a certified contractor."

Homeowners can find a certified firm at this link. Remodelers can search for an EPA-approved training provider at this link or contact their local home builders association here to find Certified Renovator training sessions.


ABOUT NAHB: The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 175,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB is affiliated with more than 800 state and local home builders associations around the country.

Not an option, but a responsibility

"Green is not a trend, but a standard operating procedure
- not an option, but a responsibility"
~Eric Tetuan, Chief Operations Officer, Production Glue, L.L.C., New York
I saw this in a report on the future of meetings and the industry. I was on the site researching for my position of Direector of Marketing for Rancho Capistrano as I was planning for this year's marketing campaign. Like most businesses these days, we are adding more green and sustainable features and services to our conference center operations. We have reduced the use of disposables, use water in urns and not bottled water when possible, and use flowers from our property for centerpieces.

I wholeheartedly believe this statement about green being standard operating procedure.

I know green is seen as a trend, as so many companies have jumped on the green bandwagon. Real Estate, which is probably the largest purchase most people make, is clearly important when it comes to sustainability and all things green. And green homes will become standard operating procedure when it comes to construction practices and (I hope) in recycling pre-owned homes. (As I can help you do!)

The best part is green homes are more energy efficient, thus saving money, have healthier indoor air quality, which helps families live healthier, and also reduces the home's carbon footprint on the planet. This sounds like great standard operating procedure to me!!!

Are there Green Homes in Orange County?

"Remember, every time you buy, sell or lease any pre-owned home you are recycling©."
~ Darlene H. Grimes, Certified EcoBroker©

But, there's not a lot of Green Homes in the OC!
That's right. So we gotta lot of work to do, those of us who love the Southern California lifestyle and have a Global conscience. Let's do whatever we can to make our homes greener.

You can make your home more eco-friendly to sell your home at a higher price, or, buy a home with lower operating costs - and help save the planet! There are grants and rebates available for green conversions and green mortgages enable you to buy more home for your buck, as your utility bills will be lower. You can even finance green conversion costs into the purchase with an energy efficient green mortgage, and they sometimes have lower interest rates too. Certified EcoBroker's have the information you need for this.

• find a home • recycle your home • save money • save the planet with Green Real Estate

In this blog, I will keep you informed of news in Green Real Estate.


Thanks for reading! Darlene