The Times, They Have to be A-Changin': IMBY, Entitlement, and Brokering a Sustainable Revolution

The LEED program is fast catching on across the U.S., but as with any diffusion of innovation, the question is: What's the pace of this sustainable movement and will it prove sufficiently fast-moving and deep to avoid serious environmental (social, and economic) degradation in the years to come? That question in large part hinges on the role of brokers to take the work of early adopters of sustainability and spread the word of a different way of doing business. Brokerage has long been thought of as the most conservative element in the entire real estate profession. Drawing upon the use his own development company, Melaver, Inc., makes of its brokerage division, Melaver instead makes the case for brokerage as the vanguard for a sustainable revolution.

About Martin

Martin Melaver is the CEO of Melaver, Inc., a third-generation, family-owned business based in Savannah, Georgia. Melaver, Inc.’s vision is to become a vertically-integrated, truly sustainable real estate company. Melaver Inc.’s triple-bottom line notion of sustainability harkens back to its predecessor days as a grocery business (1940 - 1985) deeply integrated into the needs of the local community. Melaver, Inc. currently accounts for about 1% of all the LEED certifications in the U.S., including participation in three distinct pilot programs for sustainable development. Martin is the author of numerous articles on sustainable building practices as well as guest lecturer at Harvard, Dartmouth, and other academic institutions. Martin currently serves as the Board Chair of the Georgia Conservancy, and is a board member of Urban Land Institute’s Sustainability Council, The Ossabaw Island Foundation, Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, Savannah Country Day School, and United Community Bank (Savannah).