YES, BLUE MAY BE OUR CORPORATE COLOUR

BUT LUTON IS AN AWARD WINNING GREEN COMPANY!

Australians are increasingly well-educated when it comes to recycling and having minimal impact on our environment. Homeowners want to define their carbon footprint, and leave more than just money as a legacy. Global climate issues are important to them. Today's savvy homebuyers demand that their real estate purchase also be environmentally responsible. Children in schools with recycling programs bring these ideas home to their parents. Excitement about renewable energy and worries about escalating utility bills are becoming normal topics of discussion around the dinner table.

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Canberra is already unique - since 2003 properties advertised for sale here must include an Energy Efficiency Rating - other States/ Territories are just starting to implement this. Perhaps unsurprisingly, LUTON PROPERTIES is the first real estate agency in Canberra - or anywhere in Australia - to take this responsibility seriously by developing a strategic Green Policy framework for our staff and our clients to work with over the coming years. We have won the Real Estate Institute of ACT Award for Innovation in 2009 and 2010 for our Green Initiative.

We can all be better environmental citizens, and, as the internal changes we have already adopted within our own offices bring us our own 'green success', so too do we trust our small contribution in this arena might help our valued clients and industry colleagues.

Our Green Policy consists of two components. Firstly, we focus on environmental sustainability within our own company operations and how we operate day by day, year round, across all of our seven offices. Secondly, we provide a range of environmentally proactive advice to our clients on the preparation of their home for sale.

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OUR INTERNAL OPERATIONAL 'GREEN' FOCUS

As part of our strategic three year plan to comprehensively 'green' our company, we have already put in place the following measures:

We recommend hybrid cars or cars that have excellent petrol/kilometre ratio for all our agents. In walking our talk, we have already purchased a very economical Fiat as our company car that our operational staff to use for business trips around Canberra, as well as promotional purposes. Our photographer uses it for all of our clients' photo shoots, and our Auction Hosts drive around on Saturdays in it. Not only is it great on saving us fuel costs, but it also gives our clients a chance to check out firsthand an environmentally-friendly car they may not have previously considered owning.

We have conducted monitoring exercises and new procedures around the use of water, lighting, heating, air conditioning and ventilation within all of our offices. Heating and cooling bills account for an especially large proportion of company dollars, and we are reducing our energy bills through installation of more efficient equipment and more efficient use of existing equipment in each of these areas.

We have modified our purchasing and usage policies around paper and other office consumables, for example, through recycling papers at our photocopiers and reminding ourselves through e-mail stationery not to print unless really necessary, dramatically reducing our paper consumption. Other simple steps like turning monitors off when they are not in use are also helping us reduce our carbon footprint.

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OUR EXTERNAL CLIENT 'GREEN' FOCUS

It is important to remember that our agents are not experts in green efficiency advice - but we are eager and vocal advocates that can help point clients in the right direction..

In preparing our clients' homes for sale, it is important that their environmental footprint doesn't become a footprint the size of an elephant. We also find our buyers want to know how they can be better environmental citizens after purchasing their new home. We have prepared a number of fact sheets to help all of our clients, and we trust that these may also be of use to others wanting to make a difference to the environment.

Fact Sheet 1: Green Cleaning Around The Home

Fact Sheet 2: Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Home Energy Audit

Fact Sheet 3: Purifying The Air Around Your Home

Fact Sheet 4: Garden And Lawn Care Tips

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THE FUTURE

Our Green Policy will continue to evolve as we receive more suggestions from our team. Our clients are also assisting with suggestions all the time. So feel free to drop us a line and let us know how we might improve our Green Policy and associated client support materials, or give us your feedback on what you've already seen - we'd love to hear from you.

Richard Luton

Director

Acknowledgements for content:
Luton Properties does not claim to be experts at all things green. Instead, we research the internet and publications for tips on how to do things in a green friendly manner and pass this information to our clients. Agents in our company have tried these tips - and they work - so thank you to the many internet contributors at The Green Directory, government websites and other websites all contributing to a greener future.

Green Cleaning Around The Home
Do It Yourself Home Energy Audit
Purifying The Air In Your Home
Garden and Lawn Tips