Ashley Rummage and Amy Taylor have been pivotal in promoting sustainability within the Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors®. Their efforts earned them the EverGreen Award from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The EverGreen Award recognizes outstanding Green designees who actively engage professionals and consumers with green services
Their journey began with their service on the Professional Development Committee in 2023, where they organized a groundbreaking Sustainability Summit for members. This event featured a seminar on listing, marketing, and valuing solar homes, a vendor fair showcasing eco-friendly products, and a panel discussion with industry experts on high-performance homes and green building practices.
Photo from 2023 Sustainability Summit. L-R: Mary Rachel Bowling, Amy Taylor, Ashley Rummage, Tom Finigan, Jaime Hamlett, Talvia Peterson. Photo by Jay Nelson
Their success with the summit led to the formation of the Sustainability Exploration Task Force, where they advocated for establishing a Sustainability Committee. As Chairs, Ashley and Amy guided the task force in defining its purpose, structure, membership, and funding.
Under Ashley and Amy's leadership, the task force developed a comprehensive plan for sustainability education and events. This includes the Green Designation Class, a Net Zero/Energy Efficient Homeowners Panel, and the High Performance Home Tour.
The task force's findings were presented at the RRAR Board, where the establishment of a Sustainability Committee in 2025 was unanimously approved. This new committee will continue to build on Ashley and Amy's vision, benefiting over 10,000 members, their clients, and the broader community.
Discussion Panel from 2023 Sustainability Summit. Photo by Jay Nelson
Ashley and Amy took time to talk about the new Sustainability Committee and their initiatives.
- What inspired you to organize the Sustainability Summit for the RRAR last year?
Ashley: We have found that most have not been exposed or understand how they can incorporate sustainability into their day-to-day business. We wanted to provide an opportunity to teach our Realtor members on solar, energy efficiency, net-zero, legislation, and more.
Amy:
#1: Because we are passionate about sustainability - we feel it is a worthy cause and our industry can benefit from being informed and knowledgeable.
#2: We felt that having a Sustainability Committee would allow us to promote interest and growth in our Realtor community.
- Did the Sustainability Summit impact the local real estate community in terms of green building practices?
Amy: I hope that anyone who attended the Summit walked away with some knowledge they didn’t know before. Everyone’ desire for the Sustainability Committee alone is an example of the Summit’s impact.
Ashley: I have had other agents reach out to me after the summit to ask questions about solar, home energy certifications, etc. People are sharing with us that they are excited and they understand the need for education on the topic.
- Were there any challenges you faced while advocating for the establishment of the Sustainability Committee?
Ashley: Many. From understanding association structure to raising awareness with colleagues to timelines and how long it takes for an idea to come to fruition. It was only after we had more power in numbers that the needle started to move. It illustrates that it truly takes a village.
Amy:We encountered some push back but Ashley and I kept at it. Folks would encourage us to stay on the path of making our goal a reality.
- What goals do you have for the Sustainability Committee?
Amy: Ashley and I are such big thinkers and dreamers, you may not have enough space, time, and budget for all the items we would like to accomplish! We want to have as many GREEN Designated Realtors as possible, provide resources that are accessible for Realtors to use, and we definitely plan to host another Sustainability Summit.
Ashley: NAR has a Sustainability Toolkit that walks an association through an assessment on how they embody sustainability. The toolkit helped us establish our needs from multiple angles - from our actual facility to our educational offerings, and our challenges as an industry. We plan to delve into the toolkit more to identify more ways we can encompass sustainability at RRAR.
Congratulations to Ashley Rummage and Amy Taylor on their well-deserved recognition! Their outstanding contributions to sustainability have laid a strong foundation for future initiatives within the Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors®. We look forward to their continued impact in promoting sustainability and green practices in the real estate industry.
