The sun is finally shining on the Denver real estate market, literally.

Zocalo Community Development (ZCD) has been featured as an innovator for its mortgage program at RiverClay Condominiums: a program that is boosting sales by offering homebuyers lower interest rates if they elect to buy condominiums equipped with solar panels.

ZCD has been included in Environmental Defense Fund’s annual report on business innovation, as one of 15 businesses cited nationally (including big names such as Cisco Systems, Coca-Cola, Google, Intel and Wal-Mart).

Through the Innovations Review 2009, Environmental Defense Fund “highlights environmental innovations that are helping companies cut costs, create business opportunities and carve out competitive advantage in a challenging economy.”

According to www.innovation.edf.org, “Each year, Environmental Defense Fund surveys the landscape of environmental innovations in business for the most compelling new practices and technologies—those that continually redefine ‘business as usual.’”

All innovations considered for the report are assessed on four criteria: Environmental Benefits, Business Benefits, Replicability, and "Innovativeness.”

Zocalo Community Development feels extremely honored by the recognition and we couldn’t be happier to see their incredible work noticed on a national level. They have been a leader in sustainable development in Denver, building the first LEED-certified condominiums in the Rocky Mountain Region and are continually looking for new ways to push the green movement even further.

Congratulations are certainly in order!

Be sure to read more about ZCD’s Solar Mortgage Program and check out their website at ZocaloDevelopment.com