Sarah Nopp, REALTOR(R), CRS. RE/MAX Four Seasons, Olympia WA

If you are not familiar with the Green built lingo, you will have no idea why LEED Platinum is so important. So go ahead and take a look here, at the website from the US Green Building Council and catch up.

No time? Well, here is the super abbreviated explanation- LEED (The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) has a checklist to rate the sustainability and green-ness of any building. It is a points based system, where buildings earn points by demonstrating energy conservation, wise water use, recycled materials, etc. The goal is to create a uniform standard for green building practices.

The ranking system goes Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum. Platinum is the most difficult to attain. So it is a very big deal for a building owner to make the commitment. And the WPUDA did!

The WPUDA is the Washington Public Utility Districts Association and they recently decided they needed to have their headquarters in Olympia, near the Capitol. And then they took a very big step and decided to shoot for the stars and design it for Platinum standard.

On the outside, the building is quite simple, and on the inside too. In fact, there is very little to give away the secret. Except for the solar panels on the roof, which provide approximately 50% of the building's electricity needs- including all heating. And the photo-voltaics are tied into the grid so they generate power for the rest of us to use too. Very cool stuff, if you are into solar.

One of the features that is sure to get lots of press is the water feature at the front of the building. If, during the hottest days of summer, you were to walk past the little streambed, you would see no water. And that is how it is designed. It only pulls water from the gutters! And when its storage tank is full enough, on comes the pump and Voila! Water feature. But during the dry moments, it will simply be dormant. Very green!

I was impressed with the openness of the building. Very open and airy. In fact, that is how they were able to get some of the points- views and natural light. You can see from one side of the building to the other for the most part. And the glass is very low E. It doesn't allow a lot of solar gain, but channels light far into the building. Don't ask me how- I thought glass was glass!

Another thing I really liked: the solar panels! There is one hanging right inside the front door. It is all polished aluminum with this blue 'stuff'. But I forgot to snap a picture. But if you happen to be nearby, go inside and take a look. It looks like a nice modern art piece.

If you have a chance to take tour of this building, I recommend it. I learned a lot about the newest evolutions of green building. Especially that much of the new stuff is doable for the smaller buildings. It is not just for the Government publicly funded ones anymore.

Here are a couple links you should take a look at for more info:
WPUDA
Mountain Construction, this is the company that built it, and they have great photos on their site.

April 3rd 2008 dawned bright & beautiful, with lovely blue skies. And lots of FROZEN grass. But we don't let a bit of sparkle get in the way of a nice clear spring morning around here, so off to one of our favorite places we went!

Nestled in the middle of one of the city's older neighborhoods, Lions Park is located between 7th & 9th and Frederick & Wilson (map here). It is about the size of two city blocks- 3.72 acres according the City of Olympia parks website.

If you haven't been to Lions Park, in Olympia's Eastside neighborhood, then you have missed a great part of Olympia. Located in the middle of the city, it has something to offer just about every conceivable user! And since it is just a few blocks from Ralph's Thriftway, it is a perfect place for a picnic. And the city does allow reservation of some of the amenities, like for a birthday party.

Some of the park's amenities:
Tennis court
Outdoor covered kitchen
BBQ stands
Exercise toys
Big Toys
Swings
Horseshoe pits
Softball field
Lots of picnic tables
Open fields to run and play on

And lots & lots of trees & birds & squirrels.

I just got back from a very fun morning walk with my little dog, at Priest Point Park. This is a real favorite of the Olympia locals, as it is just minutes out of downtown Olympia- easy to walk, bike or drive to.

It is set on the muddy tidelands of Budd Bay and there are lots of trails to get down to the water and eel grass and oysters and birds. And because it is a tidelands that reach to some cliffs, every time you visit, you see something new- like big tree trunks scoured by the saltwater and sand!

The Pacific Northwest is, of course, known for the rain- constant dripping moisture that keeps our slugs fat & happy, and the hillsides green. But today was actually pretty dry, just a bit misty. Perfect for a walk.

One of my favorite things to do as a child was to turn over things on the beach and see what was under- usually little crabs scrabbling for cover! So I made a little video: just click here to see it.

This is just one end of the park- there are actually a total of 314 acres it covers and it includes some very pretty gardens, under moss covered trees, cliffsides with places to sit and watch the water, and trails galore. The city of Olympia website has some good information about the park's History, maps of the trails, information about reserving the picnic areas.

As any child of the Puget Sound can tell you, this is not the sandy beaches of the tropics! This is colder. And mucky! So don't forget your rainboots. And a towel.

To get to Priest Point Park, take I-5 to Exit 105 and head northbound on Plum Street, which become Eastbay Drive, and is about 2.5 miles from I-5.
The park is just beyond the waterfront homes to your left, and is located at 2600 Eastbay Drive NE.

This is one of the best parts of helping someone buy a home in Olympia- introducing them to the things I love! Please give me a call if you have any questions about homes near Priest Point Park or downtown Olympia.

Thurston County has enjoyed a fairly stable real estate market, with gradual adjustments to the Average Sold Price.
Urban areas (Olympia, Lacey & Tumwater) currently have smaller inventory levels and Higher demand (shown by larger percentage of Pending sales) than Rural areas (Yelm, Tenino, Rochester).

While the current trend indicates prices are dropping, that is only true in some very specific neighborhoods.
The Averaged price decreases seem to be more impacted by a marked slow-down in the higher priced homes- those over $350,000, inlduding the luxury market of over $700,00.
Average priced homes, $250,000 to $350,000 are selling more slowly than the previous years.
The most affordable tier of pricing, under $215,000, is quite active with multiple offers commonplace. The sales at this pricing level have been slowed due to the high percentage of Short Sales and the time the lenders take to approve these deals.

Are you been looking for a way to get a bit more involved in Olympia?

I have always enjoyed volunteering, thanks to my Mom & Dad and their encouragement in my childhood. But I had a hard time fitting Volunteering in between demands of personal time and a busy work schedule. And I really wanted to find something where I could use the skills I have.

So I was quite happy to find the Advisory Boards. A perfect fit for me!

These Boards review projects or help formulate plans and give citizen feedback to the Council and the departments that are responsible for that bit of the City.

The city of Olympia is currently (until February 25th) accepting Applications to fill the vacancies on the following Boards:

Arts Commission - 3 positions
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee - 3 positions
Design Review Board - 3 positions
Heritage Commission - 5 positions
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee - 3 positions
Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee - 4 positions
Planning Commission - 3 positions
Utility Advisory Committee - 3 positions

(I serve on the Design Review Board.)

The application and more information is available at the Advisory Board page on the City of Olympia Website.
Some of the available spots require a specific skillset- like Architect, but the majority of the spots are for any Citizen of Olympia.

We are really blessed to live in a community like Olympia, Washington. Citizen activism is pretty high, the City has embraced technology to communicate to the people, and our elected officials are not afraid to rely on the experience of the people! As Olympians, we are actively encouraged to get involved, and I am very happy I decided to apply for the DRB. It is a commitment of time, but very worth it.

Of course, if you live in other areas, like Lacey or Tumwater or Shelton, or out in the countryside of Thurston County or Mason County, these communities are looking for help too! Get ahold of me and I can help you find that information.

UPDATED LINK (I can't believe I forgot this!)
If you are from somewhere other than the Olympia area, and you looking for different ways to volunteer, please don't overlook these sites:
http://www.volunteermatch.org/ and http://1-800-volunteer.org/
Both sites are Nationwide.
You simply identify your location and your interests and it matches you with the Need in your area. Go look today!