| TERM |
DEFINITION |
| AFUE |
A central furnace or boiler's efficiency is measured by annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE).
|
| Automated Lighting Controls |
Automatic controls for lighting range from a simple outdoor light fixture with a built-in photo
sensor
to whole-house programmable controls that can activate lights for various scenarios |
| Ceiling Fans |
Fans, set to push warm air into living spaces, can reduce winter heating bills, & cut cooling costs
when
they are used in lieu of air-conditioners |
| Earthen Built / Rammed Earth |
A technique used in the building of walls using the raw materials of earth, chalk, lime & gravel.
|
| ENERGYSTAR® / Low E Windows |
In general, Colorado requires a U-factor of 0.35 or less to meet ENERGY STAR guidelines. |
| ENERGYSTAR® Rated Roof |
ENERGY STAR qualified roof products reflect more of the sun's rays. |
| ENERGYSTAR® Refrigerator, Dishwasher,Clothes-Washer |
ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators are 20% more energy efficient than the minimum federal
standard. ENERGYSTAR® qualified dishwasher models are, on average, 10% more energy efficient
than non-qualified models. ENERGYSTAR® qualified clothes washers use about 30% less energy &
use over 50% less water than regular washers. |
| Evaporative Cooling |
AKA swamp cooler. A simple cooling system that operates by moving air across or through a wet pad.
|
| FSC Certified Cabinets |
Independent certification & labeling of forest products, such as lumber used for cabinets,
administered by the Forest Stewardship Council |
| FSC Certified Lumber |
Independent certification & labeling of forest products, such as lumber used for framing,
administered by the Forest Stewardship Council. |
| Green Guard Certified Carpet/Flooring |
Third-party certification program for carpet & flooring. |
| Grey water System |
Untreated wastewater resulting from lavatory wash basins, laundry & bathing. Waste water from
kitchen sinks is often excluded because of the high food & grease content. |
| Ground Source Heat Pump (Geothermal heat pumps/geothermal heat exchange) |
Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) are electrically powered systems that tap the stored energy of the
earth. These systems use the earth's relatively constant temperature to provide heating, cooling, &
hot water. |
| High Efficiency Furnace / Boiler |
The Federal Trade Commission requires new furnaces or boilers to display their AFUE so consumers
can compare heating efficiencies of various models. AFUE is a measure of how efficient the appliance
is in the energy in its fuel over the course of a typical year. |
| High Efficiency Lighting (CFLs, LED) |
New lighting technologies use less energy, last longer, & give off the same amount of light as old
incandescent technologies. Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) use about a quarter of the energy while
giving off the same amount of light & lasting up to 10 times longer. Light-emitting Diodes
(LEDs)create light without releasing heat, last longer than CFLs & do not contain mercury. |
| High Efficiency Water Heater |
High efficiency water heaters use 10 to 50 percent less energy than standard models. Models with an
ENERGYSTAR rating are considered highly efficient. |
| High SEER Air Conditioning |
Air conditioners manufactured after January 26, 2006 must achieve a Seasonal Energy
Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of 13 or higher |
| Home Orientation (South Facing Overhangs) |
The home is located on the property to maximize solar gain in winter, & provide shade in summer.
In general, a south-facing orientation, within 30° east or west of true south, will provide around
90% of the maximum static solar collection potential. |
| Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® |
Home Performance with ENERGYSTAR is a national program administered by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) & the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). It offers a
comprehensive, "whole-house" approach to improving energy efficiency & comfort of existing
homes. |
| Hot Water Recirculation Pump /
Structured Plumbing |
Hot water recirculation systems use a pump to move hot water through the plumbing system from the
water heater to near the fixtures. Structured Plumbing is a method of designing the hot water
plumbing layout to minimize hot water delivery times. |
| ICF |
Rigid plastic foam forms that hold concrete in place during curing & remain in place afterwards to
serve as thermal insulation for concrete walls. The foam sections are lightweight & result in energy
efficient, durable construction |
| Indoor air PLUS
By ENERGYSTAR® |
A variety of construction practices & technologies to decrease the risk of poor indoor air quality.
The
Environmental Protection Agency administers a builder program called Indoor air PLUS. |
| Improved Insulation |
Building codes typically require a minimum insulation level for each component of the building
envelope. Improved Insulation refers to increasing the insulation levels beyond the minimum code
requirements. |
| Insulation Air Sealing Upgrades |
For existing homes, Insulation & Air Sealing upgrades are typically implemented in conjunction with
an energy audit. These steps help seal a home from drafts & leakage, & increase the insulation
levels
of the home. |
| Low Flow Fixtures / Shower Heads |
A faucet with aerator installed to reduce the flow of water but not reduce water pressure. Low-flow
shower heads use about 2 ½ gallons of water per minute compared to between four & five gallons per
minute used by conventional heads. |
| Low Flow Toilets |
A toilet that uses less water per flush when compared to the current federal requirements. Such
toilets
often have the EPA's WaterSense label. In general, low-flow toilets use a maximum of 1.28 gallons of
water per flush. |
| Low-water Sod |
Landscaping that has significantly lower watering requirements than conventional turf. Most of
these types come with certificates of installation in Colorado. |
| No Formaldehyde Certified Cabinetry |
The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) created the Environmental Stewardship
Program (ESP) to help cabinet manufacturers demonstrate their commitment to environmental
sustainability & help consumers easily identify environmentally-friendly products. |
| No or Low VOC Paint |
Paints that release no, or minimal Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) pollutants, & are virtually odor
free. |
| Orientation / Passive Solar Design |
Solar geometry, window technology & local climate are used to direct building design. Helps reduce
or even eliminate the need for mechanical cooling & heating & daytime artificial lighting. |
| Programmable Thermostat |
A thermostat that can be programmed to increase &decrease a home's temperature setting
automatically. |
| Radon Mitigation System |
A system that detects radon, a naturally occurring gas, colorless &odorless, that causes adverse
health
effects. Radon gas often enters a structure by seeping through cellar walls & floors. |
| Reclaimed Flooring |
Material that is recovered for reuse or another purpose, such as wood barn siding hat becomes
flooring. |
| Recycled Content |
Recycled-content products are made from materials that would otherwise have been discarded. These
products are made totally or partially from material contained in recycled products, like aluminum
soda
cans or newspaper. |
| Regionally Harvested |
Harvested within 500 miles of home. |
| SEER Rating |
The rating & performance standard developed by the U.S. government & equipment manufacturer's
to produce an energy consumption rating that is easy to understand by consumers. The lower the
SEER rating, the more energy required to produce the desired effect. |
| SIPS |
Panels made from a thick layer of foam sandwiched between two layers of Oriented Strand Board
(OSB), plywood or fiber-cement. They are an alternative to the foam core & are available with a core
of agriculture fibers (such as wheat straw) thatprovides similar thermal & structural performance.
|
| Straw Bale |
A construction method that uses waste straw left over from crops, such as wheat, oats, barley, rye,
rice
& flax, after all the food has been extracted. Straw is gathered, baled, compressed & tied together.
Bales
are placed over a "stemwall" to protect the straw from the ground soil & the straw bales are
stuccoed &
plastered over for finishing. |
| Sustainable Flooring |
Sustainable flooring is produced from sustainable materials (& by a sustainable process) that
reduces
demands on ecosystems during its life-cycle. This includes harvest, production, use & disposal. |
| Tankless/On Dem & Water Heater |
A system that delivers hot water at a preset temperature when needed, but without requiring the
storage
of water. The approach reduces or eliminates energy standby losses. Tankless water heaters can be
used
for supplementary heat, such as a booster to a solar hot water system, or to meet all hot water
needs.
Tankless water heaters have an electric, gas, or propane heating device that is activated by the
flow of
water. |
| Whole House Fan |
A whole-house fan is a type of fan installed in a building's ceiling, designed to pull hot air out
of the
building |
| Xeriscaping |
A method of landscaping that promotes water conservation. |
Share my Home on Zillow
New York Times
Are Broker Commissions
Too High?
by Debra Kamin
View ArticleReader Comments
The 6% commission is daylight robbery, given the amount of work usually required.
There is nothing a real estate agent does that I cannot do myself.
That kind of market gatekeeping is doomed.
There's a huge opportunity in this country for someone to shake up this industry by presenting a new model for selling residential real estate.
In a world in which there is more and more electronic information available, are brokers even necessary at all.
When I'm the seller I'm actually paying the buyer's agent to work against me during negotiations.
The fee is agreed upon before any work is done, before you can determine the quality or quantity of the value you will receive.
Realtors today are akin to travel agents about 20 years ago. We know how it will end, but its going to be painful.
In my opinion, the real estate industry is very broken.
Some buyer's agents are excellent. Most are not. But you want everyone to pay as if they had an excellent one.
To think “traditional” agents have the best interest of the buyer in mind is ridiculous.
I was dumbfounded as to how little most of the showing realtors knew about the listings they were showing.
Defending commissions is becoming more challenging as the curtain is pulled back on the value added by a real estate agent, revealing that many, many people could easily sell their own homes.
It's not rocket science, but the NAR does a good job of keeping sellers in the dark regarding what's really a rather simple process.