EcoBroker cheat sheet

Advocacy ladder: inform (share data) → interpret (translate into client impact) → recommend (name a specific action) → commit (secure a written next step); skipping a rung usually produces interest without action.

Triple bottom line screen: evaluate every recommendation on environmental, social, and financial return; a measure that scores well on only one axis is a talking point, not an advocacy position.

Payback period = upfront cost ÷ annual savings. State the assumption set (utility rate, usage, escalation) alongside the number; a payback quoted without assumptions is not auditable.

Avoided-cost framing: annual savings ÷ capitalization rate approximates the value a buyer could assign to an efficiency upgrade; disclose the rate used and note it is an estimate, not an appraisal.

Greenwashing test - four checks: (1) is the claim specific, (2) is it substantiated by a third party, (3) does it omit a material trade-off, (4) is the comparison baseline disclosed? Fail two or more and the claim should not be repeated to a client.

Credible ecolabels to cite by attribute: ENERGY STAR (appliance/building energy), WaterSense (fixtures), LEED (whole-building design and operations), Green Seal or Safer Choice (products and cleaning), FSC (wood products).

Stakeholder map for an advocacy plan: owner, occupant/tenant, lender, insurer, contractor, and local authority. Each holds a different veto, so identify who must say yes before proposing the measure.

Regulatory baseline: know the difference between a mandatory code (adopted by the jurisdiction, enforceable) and a voluntary standard (LEED, passive house). Never present a voluntary certification as a legal requirement.

Measure selection rule: prioritize measures with short payback, visible occupant benefit, and low installation disruption; bundle long-payback measures (envelope, HVAC replacement) with short-payback ones (lighting, controls) so the package cash-flows.

Plain-language rule: explain to the least-informed party in the room without condescension; jargon used to demonstrate expertise reads as pressure and reduces trust.

Disclosure of interest: state who pays you and how, before giving a recommendation. Undisclosed compensation is the most common source of perceived betrayal in advisory relationships.

Capacity check: confirm the client can absorb the cost and disruption (budget, timeline, health, family situation) before recommending an upgrade; a technically correct recommendation the client cannot afford is not a caring one.

Confidentiality boundary: client financial and personal details stay out of marketing, case studies, and casual conversation unless written permission is obtained.

Conflict-of-interest decision rule: if a recommendation benefits you, a related business, or a family member, disclose it in writing and offer at least one alternative you do not profit from.

Referral ethics: refer to a qualified third party when the issue exceeds your competence (structural, legal, tax, medical); overreaching is a care failure even when it is well-intentioned.

Follow-up protocol: after a recommendation, ask what the client understood and what concerns remain; silence is not agreement, and an unasked question becomes a complaint later.

Vulnerable-client protocol: for elderly, ill, or financially stressed clients, slow the pace, invite a trusted third party, and document that the decision was the client's own.

Repair script for errors: acknowledge the specific mistake, state the remedy and timeline, and do not attach excuses; speed of honest correction preserves trust better than a flawless record.