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REALTOR®: Silicon Valley Realtor group earns green business certification

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Silicon Valley Realtors have joined the ranks of groups that are concerned about the future of the environment and decided to do something about it. The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) office in Cupertino has been certified as a Green Business through the Green Business Certification Program administered by the Association of Bay Area Government (ABAG) and Santa Clara County.

The professional trade organization representing over 4,000 Realtors® and affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay, is the only Realtor association in the state that has obtained this certification.

SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley. In seeking certification as a Green Business, SILVAR decided to go a step further and increase community involvement by being proactive in its conservation and concern for the environment.

Many real estate offices in the communities SILVAR serves are going through the same certification process. In addition, many cities and towns in SILVAR's service area, including Atherton, Portola Valley, Palo Alto, Los Altos Hills and Sunnyvale – have already endorsed the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. The Mayors' agreement supports the Kyoto Protocol standards and pledge to reduce carbon dioxide pollutions levels in their cities by 2012 to at least seven percent below 1990 levels.

Achieving green certification is also in line with SILVAR's goals to educate SILVAR members and collaborate on projects that create a more sustainable environment.

"We are very pleased that we have been recognized as a Green Business. We hope to be an example for our region by practicing what we preach," said Leannah Hunt, SILVAR's president-elect. Hunt, who is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker in Palo Alto, said Palo Alto has been leading the region in its efforts to create a sustainable economy. She noted creating a green economy is one of the Palo Alto City Council's main goals.

The Green Business Certification Program is a successful partnership of environmental agencies and utilities that assists, recognizes and promotes businesses and government agencies that operate voluntarily in a more environmentally responsible way. To be certified "green," participants must comply with all regulations and meet program standards for conserving resources, preventing pollution and minimizing waste. This certification focuses on helping businesses improve and implement green best practices for office operation. Over 800 businesses and public agencies have been certified since 1996 Bay Area- wide, and over 135 of those are in Santa Clara County.

Hunt said SILVAR's certification was achieved with no added cost to the association and a small amount of staff resources. SILVAR officially began the application process and met with county officials in early March. The local trade association had already been following most of the best practices required by the county as part of its policy to recycle and conserve energy, resources and money. Some of these practices included recycling, double-sided printing, use of e-mail to communicate with members and the provision of customer services via the Internet and phone.

County staff was especially impressed with the amount of services SILVAR offers its members through the Internet, including tour sheets and PRDS forms that decrease the need for member travel and use of paper.


The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.

The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

Variations of this article have appeared in local area newspapers.

For further information, please contact Rose Meily at SILVAR Public Affairs, email , or phone (408) 200-0109.

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