MPS in Real Estate student Bill Hawthorne turns properties into LEED certified Gold and Platinum homes

One is about to be certified gold. The other, platinum. But these aren't records we're talking about--they're homes. And the producer with the Midas touch is Master of Professional Studies in Real Estate Program student Bill Hawthorne.

The two homes, which sit side-by-side in the historic Rosemont neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia, are models of twenty-first-century energy efficiency. The home at 9 East Walnut Street is pending LEED Platinum certification, and the home at 11 East Walnut Street is up for Gold. Bill Hawthorne is the contractor for both homes and the owner of the Gold project.

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally recognized certification system. It was developed to set the highest standards for measuring sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials and resources selection, and indoor environmental quality. While many developers are claiming to be "green," LEED certification verifies a building's true green capability.

Obtaining LEED certification is no easy task; inspectors are present at every step of the way--from architectural planning to landscape design--to ensure that every aspect meets the highest green building and performance standards. Bill's homes not only meet the LEED standards, but both exceed the points required for their respective certifications.

The Platinum home is new construction and boasts zero energy consumption and zero carbon emissions. Features include geo-thermal heating and cooling, photovoltaic solar panels, and a rainwater harvesting system. The soon-to-be Gold home, which is a rehabbed construction, is also Energy Star certified and features Energy Star Jen AIR appliances, a 95 percent energy-efficient heating and cooling system, and a tankless hot water system.

In addition to these two homes, Hawthorne owns a third home on East Walnut Street which is in the middle of a gut rehab and will be submitted for Gold certification later this year.

Bill Hawthorne is president of WHM Investments LLC and a member of the Sustainable Business Network of Washington. As an early eco-pioneer, he built passive solar houses in Portsmouth, Virginia, in the 1980s. After a 25-year stint as an investment banker, Bill has rekindled his passion for green building and is gradually transforming East Walnut Street into an eco-oasis.