| How Eco-Friendly Are Condos in Arlington VA? | | | | that draws fresh air from the outside rather than |
| Arlington Virginia is one of the first counties in the | | | | recirculating stale air. The result is healthier air quality. |
| country to develop its own certification of | | | | Whether you live in a Wooster loft or another condo |
| eco-friendly home building, called Arlington Green | | | | in Arlington VA, you can live an eco-friendly lifestyle. |
| Home Choice. The program defines a green home as | | | | One of the wonderful attributes that most |
| being a "healthy, comfortable, cost efficient home | | | | condominiums in Arlington share is a walkability. The |
| that reduces energy and water usage and protects | | | | condominiums existing along the Orange Line metrorail |
| the environment". Components of a green home (as | | | | are especially walkable. Whether it be shopping, |
| outlined by the Arlington Green Home Choice | | | | dining, nightlife or even commuting to work, many |
| website) may include: | | | | Arlingtonians find that they can get by without a car. |
| Specific construction practices to minimize and recycle | | | | The less dependent residents are on their |
| construction waste; | | | | automobiles the less taxing they tend to be on the |
| Careful insulation practices; | | | | environment. |
| Nontoxic interior finishes (low VOC paint, sealants, | | | | Arlington has wonderful recycling programs in place |
| and carpeting); | | | | for its residents. Single-stream collection means that |
| Components made from renewable resources (such | | | | all recyclable materials can be placed in the same bin |
| as cork or bamboo floors, wheatboard cabinetry); | | | | without having to be sorted. A recent upgrade to the |
| Recycled content components (such as recycled | | | | Arlington recycling program, all of the following |
| glass tiles, recycled-content countertops); | | | | materials can now be recycled: plastics 1-7 (yogurt |
| Energy efficient appliances (Energy Star rated | | | | cups, margarine tubs), aluminum foil & trays, milk |
| refrigerator, dishwasher, water heater, etc.); | | | | & juice cartons, paperback and hardcover |
| Photovoltaic (solar) panels; | | | | books, rigid plastics (buckets, flower pots, toys), |
| Water efficient appliances and landscape irrigation | | | | empty aerosol cans, plastic bags (bag multiple bags in |
| (front loading clothes washers and moisture sensing | | | | one bag), and wire hangers. |
| irrigation systems); | | | | Arlington Virginia based organizations such as |
| Stormwater collection (rainbarrels or larger cisterns); | | | | Arlington Initiative to Reduce Emissions (AIRE) are |
| Careful placement of shade trees; | | | | doing a wonderful job or raising eco-friendly |
| Careful placement of windows to maximize interior | | | | awareness for Arlington VA home owners. They |
| light and ventilation. | | | | have programs in place to incentivise car-free living |
| The program was originally developed to recognize | | | | and are helping Arlington residents set |
| new homes being built within Arlington County that | | | | environmentally friendly goals in 2010. |
| included these attributes. It has recently evolved to | | | | Because many of the condos in Arlington VA have |
| accommodate homes that have been significantly | | | | been built within the last 10 years, they adhere to |
| renovated to obtain the Arlington Green Home | | | | higher standards of efficiency when it comes to |
| Choice standards. | | | | water conservation, insulating materials, heating / |
| Obviously this program pertains to single family | | | | cooling, and improvement of air quality. |
| homes. What about condos in Arlington VA? | | | | By working with an EcoBroker certified Realtor when |
| One condominium in Arlington that is especially | | | | shopping for a condo in Arlington VA you will have |
| eco-friendly is the Wooster and Mercer Lofts. Using | | | | someone to guide you through the home buying |
| commercial grade windows and high quality insulation | | | | process as well as helping you understand the |
| materials, the building is exceptionally tight. Each unit is | | | | eco-friendly differences between the homes you |
| equipped with a separately housed HVAC system | | | | consider. |