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BrokerIPTV: We are talking with Steve Brooks today from Brookstone Builders. Steve, welcome.

Steve Brooks: Thanks.

BrokerIPTV: Thanks for being here.

Steve Brooks: Thank you, Dan.

BrokerIPTV: We had you on earlier segment talking about your homes, but refresh that, refresh us a little bit. Brookstone Builders builds where and what?

Steve Brooks: Well, at the moment custom, single family homes in most of the downtown area; when I say downtown, Observatory Park, Hilltop at this point.

BrokerIPTV: Got you. What I want to talk about in this segment is you mentioned you like to build green, and a lot of people say that, but I dont think everybody understands what build green means. So, can you explain?

Steve Brooks: Well, first of all, most states have put together their own green building programs, Built Green Colorado is Colorado's specific program for this state. It has been around, it is one of the oldest programs in the nation. It's very reputable. A lot of other programs around the nation have really duplicated what we have done here in Colorado. Basically, what Built Green is, is its a way for builders to come up with a system for water efficiency, energy efficiency, natural resource efficiency in their building process. The way they do that is they award points for all sorts of different categories and they require a minimum of 75 points to be considered Built Green.

BrokerIPTV: Good. How many points typically is a Brookstone home?

Steve Brooks: You know I am always uping the ante. So, my most current home that I am about to complete will probably achieve about 250 points. So, but I am always looking for ways to improve that. Many of those points that I get dont necessarily cost more money; some of them do, but a lot of time it is just knowing how to put something in better or more efficient than what you have done before.

BrokerIPTV: Give me an example of a point in value, what you can you do to earn points?

Steve Brooks: Well, I will tell some of things I do in my homes, just so you have an idea. I put bamboo floors in all my homes; I get points for that. I use like you mentioned before recycled glass tile accents throughout the home. I put a 50 year roof on instead of a 20 year roof. Energy star appliances.

BrokerIPTV: The carpet?

Steve Brooks: There you go, yes, green labeled carpet. It can be recycled over and over again. I just started using that. I could go on, but those sorts of things are what you are looking for.

BrokerIPTV: Earn points.

Steve Brooks: Yes.

BrokerIPTV: Why go in this direction, because I imagine a builder out there could say, "Hey, listen, I am going to put this up is inexpensive as possible and sell it for the highest price as I could. Why go in this direction and the extra trouble"?

Steve Brooks: Right. Well, for me, I feel I have a moral responsibility. These homes that I am putting into service will probably be there for a minimum of 100 years and so in my opinion, you only have one chance to do it right.

BrokerIPTV: Lot of talk in the real estate industry about this LEED program, L-E-E-D; tell people what is LEED.

Steve Brooks: LEED is... well, first of all the home I am breaking ground on now would be LEED certified. LEED stand for Leadership in Energy and Efficient Design. Its a nationwide program. Up to now it has been mostly commercial, so you will see it in a lot of schools and city governments have headed that way into being LEED certified. This year, they just rolled it out for residential, so its a brand new program, very few homes in Colorado have even tried to be LEED certified up to this point. It actually is very similar to the Built Green program. In many ways, it overlaps that program, but in someway, this is more comprehensive. For example, they look at how far away are some of the materials you buy. They want it all to be within a 500 mile radius. They give you points for using recycled aggregate in your concrete. They put a lot of time and effort into how you dispose off your materials on the job site. You are going to divert a certain amount of those materials from the landfill. Those sort of things arent really covered in Built Green. LEED does do that. So, in many ways, it is a little more comprehensive, so.

BrokerIPTV: And its a little bit more difficult on you the builder?

Steve Brooks: Very much so; yes, it is going to be challenging.

BrokerIPTV: So kudos to you for tackling that.

Steve Brooks: Thank you.

BrokerIPTV: I love the information. I love your homes. Thanks so much for being with us.

Steve Brooks: Thank you Dan. Appreciate it.