How do you build energy-efficient homes? Whether you are just passionate about doing better for the environment, green investing, need to meet strict new building and renovation mandates, or are interested in the high ROI benefits and returns of energy-efficient homes, apartments, and commercial buildings, this episode is for you.
Energy-efficient homes are a modern-day must. New homes and rehabs must be net-zero by law in many areas today. Even where it is not mandated yet, it probably soon will be. Following COVID-19, we have all become more aware of the urgent need to be more environmentally friendly and to build more conscious and healthy places to live and work, while demanding even greater profitability from our businesses, investments, and assets.
Energy-efficient homes, apartment buildings, and commercial spaces are a large part of this. They are some of the biggest pollutants and energy wasters if not built well.
Our special guest on this podcast episode, Scott Ringlein, is one of the few experts in this field. Not just in how to make properties more energy-efficient, but just as importantly, how to finance these projects and improvements. Plus, how to use them to actually generate much greater returns and cash flow margins in much shorter periods of time.
Listen in to find out more about the special funding program he uses, free resources you can use to replicate his success, and where to get help in executing these ideas.
This is for you whether you are a veteran real estate business owner, brand new to the business, are flipping houses, renovating multifamily apartment complexes, or just about any other type of property.
Listen in for all the details…
Gifts & Recommendations:
Scott Ringlein says he is a big reader of periodicals. He recommended the magazine Bottom Line to our readers. Bottom Line is one of the widest circulated and longest-running publishers of magazines. These include Bottom Line Personal which dives into finance and technology. Bottom Line Health focuses on medicine and wellness.
HOW CAN I MAKE MY HOME MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT?
There are many ways to improve the energy efficiency of a property from better building materials, new insulation, installing energy-efficient appliances, and investing in solar panels.
WHAT IS THE MOST ENERGY-EFFICIENT BUILDING MATERIAL?
There are many factors in construction which can play into overall energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. Several important aspects are usually overlooked when building energy-efficient structures. Things to keep in mind before investing: how renewable that source of the material is, how much energy is used to turn it into useful building material, and energy that is used to transport that material to a property. This is one of the reasons that wood is making a big comeback. It is now considered one of the most sustainable materials to use in construction, and when sourced locally may require a fraction of the energy and pollution that concrete and other traditional materials create.
HOW CAN I MAKE MY HOME MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT?
Step 1 – Find local funding programs to finance your improvements
Scott Ringlein uses the PACE program to fund his improvements. That stands for Property Assessed Clean Energy. It is a little known financing program that offers long term funding (15 to 25 years), with low fixed rates. It requires no personal guarantees and is classified as a tax, so that you aren’t adding more debt, and may enjoy additional write-offs, and the new owner can take over the funding without paying it off when you sell.
Step 2 – Know the rules of energy-efficient funding
The PACE program is administered at the state level. Find out if you can use the PACE program in your area at PACENation.org. There you will find out who to contact to get these funds where you are buying property.
Step 3 – Don’t do it alone
Each state can apply for this program slightly differently with their own quirks. You also need to enroll the approval of any existing lenders and lien holders. You can use advisors and partners like Scott’s company to speed through the process.
Summary
Scott Ringlein has made some great contributions to the environment, landscape, and investors community since getting into real estate. He has mastered wielding little known funding programs that can have a huge impact on the world and investment returns. Read the full transcript of the interview for all the details and how you can build energy-efficient homes too.
Action Steps for Getting Started To Build Energy Efficient Homes
- Start networking and surround yourself with others and new ideas
- Explore funding programs to finance your improvements
- Get help doing it from experts who can help you efficiently learn the process and skip the mistakes
About Scott Ringlein
Before getting into real estate Scott Ringlein was a chief engineer working on energy-efficient designs for Nissan. He hit a wall in 2008 and was one of those laid off when the auto industry went bust. So, he began networking and discovered real estate. He found so few real estates and construction companies making energy-efficient, renewable energy, and conservation improvements. So, he jumped in. Today, he is doing this with no out of pocket costs, access to funding at incredibly low rates, and has been able to help to build operators to slash utility bills by 70% and make a 74% return on investment in the first 12 months.
Transcript
Click Here to Read Transcript
Speaker 1:
Welcome to the exactly how podcasts and YouTube show brought to you by connected investors. During this episode, you’re going to discover exactly how to renovate your investment properties using renewable energy resources. Now, for those of you who are new, my name is Sean Young, today’s host and proud member of the connected investor community.
Speaker 2:
Okay.
Speaker 1:
Now, before I introduce our incredible guest speaker today, I want to make a request. Then, if at any point during the show, you like what you’re hearing, please hit the thumbs up button or hit the subscribe button so that you don’t miss an episode. Now, before I introduce our incredible guest speaker today, I want to make a request that if at any point in the show you like what you’re hearing, please give us a thumbs up or subscribe to the show so that you don’t miss an episode and make sure that look in the description of this episode, as we’ve packed it with thousands of dollars in free resources. Now, today we have the privilege to learn from a man who manages to secure. Not today. We have the privilege to learn from a man who managed to secure funding for 15 years at 5.9, 4% with no out of pocket costs through the pace program, reducing the lighting utilities by 70% and achieving a first year ROI of 74%.
Speaker 2:
Yeah.
Speaker 1:
Now prior to his career in real estate, he was a chief engineer designing exhaust systems for Nissan vehicles,
Speaker 1:
All that change when he all that changed when he was at a networking event and got involved in a discussion about efficiency, conservation and renewable energy improvements and why. So few companies, all that changed when he was at a networking event and got involved in a discussion about efficiency, conservation and renewable energy improvements and why so few companies adopt them and has now been in the business for over eight years. How would describe our guests as an optimist and a stickler for details? I like to introduce you to the one, the only Scott ring line. Scott, thanks for being a guest on today’s show today. Hey Sean, thanks for having me. Absolutely. Thank you for being here now, guys, before we dive into the, exactly how to now guys, before we dive exactly into how to renovate your investment properties, using renewable energy resources, Scott, you contribute a lot of your success to your knowledge. Why do you think this has played such a huge role in your success?
Speaker 3:
Well, the programs that we’re involved with very little people know about them, even though they’ve been around since, uh, 2009. So we’re going on 11 years, but, uh, it’s just not known by the general public.
Speaker 1:
Understood, understood. Well, guys, what makes the, exactly how to freedom now, guys, what makes the exactly how financial freedom podcasts and YouTube show unique is that every show comes with a detailed action plan. We pull the steps out of the show and create a blueprint on how to implement exactly what we are uncovering. Now, what makes the exactly how financial freedom podcasts or YouTube show unique is that every show comes with a detailed action plan. We pull the steps out of the show and create a blueprint on how to implement exactly what we’re uncovering. All you have to do is visit connected investors.com forward slash free to get the key takeaways and the resources as well as the free gifts that Scott has generously allowed us to give you today. Plus, you’re going to see our free training right now, text the word exactly to (910) 600-0630.
Speaker 1:
To see for yourself that this is exactly how I make my money guys. Now you can find properties in any town for pennies on the dollar, using the software that I use each and every day. So again, text the word exactly to (910) 600-0630. And as nearly a million people know connected investors is a social network of real estate investors and a marketplace of investment properties. Now in the description of this video, I’ve included a link to this now has nearly a million people know connected investors is a social network of real estate investors and a marketplace of investment properties. In the description of this video, I’ve included a link to this episode’s forum discussion. Now, Scott, before we get started, can you define what pace is and why this would be great for our listeners?
Speaker 3:
You bet Sean. So pace is an acronym for property assessed, clean energy. It is a state based program, so it’s an act of legislation, but it uses private non-bank non tax money to fund it. Um, so it’s a funding program that is following the property tax assessment rules. It allows an owner of a building, typically a commercial multifamily, um, to take on a property tax assessment to do improvements in the areas of efficiency, conservation, and renewable energy. What’s important to the owners is that first of all, on their balance sheet, it’s not considered a debt, it’s a tax. So it just shows up as something that they have to pay. It’s an expense, also access to longterm funding. So you’re able to get access to 20, 25 years fixed rate funding. And it’s non-secured meaning there is no personal guarantee required. It is fixed on the property. So you’re using the value of the property as a security to backup and upon sale. It transfers with the property. So there’s no payoff at the end of the assessment or, um, if you sell within the assessment period.
Speaker 1:
Wow, that is incredible. You know, a lot of our listeners are always concerned about how to get funding. So, I mean, this sounds like a great, great resource that our listeners could definitely tap into.
Speaker 3:
It certainly is. And there’s a lot of resources out there to, you know, to self-educate themselves. For sure.
Speaker 1:
Thanks. Thanks. Well, got it. Well, Scott, you know, with that being said, that that brings us to the next step. You know, I would say let’s dive right into the steps that it takes to actually renovate your investment properties, using the renewable resources. Now, Scott, let’s dive right into the next steps. Now, Scott, let’s dive into the next steps to renovate your investment properties using renewable energy resources. Now, before the show, we did break it down into three steps that you felt would be easiest for our listeners to follow. Now, those steps were understanding, determine, sorry about that. Let me get that. Let me get that out right way. All right, Scott, let’s dive into the steps to renovate your investment properties using renewable energy resources. Now, before the show, we broke it down into three steps, understand, understand, determine pieces is where they understanding where they are buying properties. Okay. Okay. For the steps, Scott, understanding, understanding and determining if pace exists in where they are buying properties. Does that sound right? Yep. Yep.
Speaker 3:
So does pace exist where they purchasing the property? What the rules of engagement are and then don’t do it alone. Okay.
Speaker 1:
Got it. Got it. All right. Now, Scott, let’s dive into the next steps, which are the three steps which are rid of now, Scott, let’s dive into the steps to renovate your investment properties using renewable energy resources. Now, before the show, we broke it down into three steps, understand and determine if pace. Now, before the show, we broke it down into three steps, understanding and determining of pace exists and where they are buying properties, understanding the rules of engagement and don’t do it alone, working out with the experts. So Scott, can you start off with step number one, understanding and determining if pace exists and where to find the buying. So Scott, can you start off with step number one, understanding and determining if pace exists?
Speaker 3:
Yeah. So because it’s an act of legislation, it’s a law, there’s a great resource out there and it’s called pace nation and you can go to pace nation.org and you can look up your state, find out whether pace exists and then it’ll give you a contact information in regards to who’s administrating the program for your state.
Speaker 1:
Awesome. Awesome. Now, um, now that site that you just gave out there is, is that something that, you know, any, anybody can just go and fill out or do you need an expert’s help or should they contact you before they go to this site? And how does that work?
Speaker 3:
Yeah. So this site, it’s a nonprofit organization and it’s really a library of knowledge about this program. So you can go out there, learn more about it, how it’s being used case studies, but more importantly for the first step. Geez, does it exist in my state and who’s administering it. So then you can figure out whether or not wherever you’re buying your property, does it exist? And it cannot be used,
Speaker 1:
Which basically kind of takes us on to step number two, which is understanding the rules of engagement. Could you break that down a little bit more for me?
Speaker 3:
Yeah, you bet. So because it’s a state based program, every state is going to be slightly different in regards to how you can use it, what you can use it on. And so it’s important to understand that before you jump in with both feet, which really leads us to the third step, which is, Hey, find an expert that understands how it all works. You know, one of the big things that they have to overcome is that if you’re carrying a mortgage on your property to take on this assessment, you have to have consent by any other property that has, or any other party that has a lien on your property. This is a hurdle that needs to be taken care of right away, rather than at the end of the process. And these are the little things that most don’t realize exist, but you know, people that work in the industry like ourselves, those are the things that we bring up right away and we take care of them right away. That way, as they move through the process, they’re not concerned about these little hiccups that’s going to set them back.
Speaker 1:
Understood, understood. So how can folks get ahold of you out there?
Speaker 3:
The best way is to, uh, visit our website. It’s www energy Alliance, group.org, and they can, uh, you know, click the contact button. It’ll eventually end up in my mailbox. And most of what we can help with can all be done through a quick phone call or a few emails to kind of vent out what they’d like to do and whether or not these types of programs and other programs exist in the area that they’re buying the property.
Speaker 1:
Understood. Understood. Well, guys, you know, as a reminder, if at any point in the show, you like what you’re hearing, please give us a thumbs up or subscribe to the show so that you don’t miss an episode. Your engagement is what drives us to keep doing this for the community for free. Now, Scott, you know, what do you think your life would be like if you never went to that networking event and you were still working in the engineering field? Say that again, Sean, I’m sorry. No, no problem. I said, Scott, what do you think your life would be like if you had never went into that networking event and you were still working in the engineering field?
Speaker 3:
Uh, I’d be tied to my corporate desk. That’s for sure. That’s for sure. Yeah.
Speaker 1:
Got it. So basically your corporate America, wasn’t your cup of tea,
Speaker 3:
You know, it was until you step outside of it. Um, you know, Oh eight when automotive industry collapsed, I was one of them that lost their job and had to recreate myself and you know, what I was going to do. And that really led to, um, my, you know, heavy investment in networking, meeting people. Um, I always tell people, walk around with your ears open because you never know what you might hear, who you might meet. And that’s really, what’s led to, you know, what we’ve been doing for the last 12 years and our success.
Speaker 1:
Scott, I think what you just said is huge. I mean, you know, a lot of times you just don’t know what you don’t know, you kind of don’t know until you go there and uh, you know, step on that other side, so to speak and I get a taste or a feel of what that’s like. And uh, you know, like you say, once you kind of go there, you definitely don’t want to go back that’s for sure. Yep.
Speaker 3:
Yep. It’s got pros and cons that’s for sure. But, uh, once you’re in and you make that commitment, there’s nothing better.
Speaker 1:
I would agree. I would agree now, Scott, that brings us to our rapid fire session of the episode where I ask you a few questions and you give me the first answer that comes to mind. Sounds good. All right. On a scale of one to 10, how strict were your parents?
Speaker 3:
Oh, we were at the eight, nine level.
Speaker 1:
Okay. Get up early or stay up late.
Speaker 3:
Both.
Speaker 1:
How many hours of sleep do you get? Wow,
Speaker 3:
Last night I worked until three and I was up by seven 30.
Speaker 1:
Okay. Favorite or last book that you’ve read?
Speaker 3:
Wow. So truth be told I’m not a book reader. I’m more of a periodical editorial reader. And uh, let’s see. The last thing I read was, uh, some articles in a magazine called bottom line.
Speaker 1:
Okay. Now, if you could be any superhero, who would it be? Wow,
Speaker 3:
Probably Wonderdog okay.
Speaker 1:
Something everyone should do less of
Speaker 3:
Complain.
Speaker 1:
Something. Everyone should do more of be grateful. Bitcoin bank or bust
Speaker 3:
Boy. I don’t know enough about it. So I would say right now it’s a bus.
Speaker 1:
Okay. Well people live on Mars in your lifetime.
Speaker 3:
No.
Speaker 1:
All right. Well, Scott, is there anything else you think would be important for our listeners to understand about the renewable energy process and how it can definitely be utilized in their business?
Speaker 3:
You know what? Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, to look at other mechanisms, to improve your property and to improve your cash flow. This is a great way to get access to cash without having to push cash, put cash out, and you’re going to use it towards improvements that are going to reduce your operational costs, improve your property, maybe get a higher rent and more importantly, create a cash flow rate at the beginning of the improvement,
Speaker 1:
Which is what we’re looking for guys quick returns on our investments. That’s what it’s all about guys. So, I mean, what more could you ask for
Speaker 3:
Yep. Well guy,
Speaker 1:
You have made it to the end of the show and most people don’t finish what they start. So you’re special. Now, if you got any value out of today’s show, please share it with a friend or on your page like this video, subscribe to our channel and send us topics that you want to learn more about. And like I said earlier, nearly a million people use the connect investors, social network and marketplace to connect. Now in the description of this episode, there’s included a link to this episode’s forum discussion. Tap that link. Ask me another post questions and see what other investors are saying about this episode. So guys, until next time you can catch me on the inside of connected investors. See you next time.
Speaker 3:
Everybody should be using this, you know, uh, kind of the topic came out of, uh, of, uh, a proposal we put together in South Dakota for a large commercial building. You know, we were able to secure funding to not only put in a one megawatt solar system, but the revenue generated off that solar system also paid for a brand new roof and this was a 70,000 square foot building. So that’s, that’s how you can use
About The CEO
Ross Hamilton is the CEO of Connectedinvestors.com an investment property marketplace and social network for real estate investors with close to a million members. Several years ago Ross launched a private funding portal (CiX.com) that disrupted the entire industry. His portal facilitates over 3 Billion in funding A MONTH.
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Connected Investors
Real estate investing professionals from around the world turn to Connected Investors for innovative resources and timely local information about the business. Known for its cutting-edge technology, social network and in-depth educational opportunities Connected Investors is the industry’s leading source of real estate investing information.
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