New Milestone for NAHB's Green Building Program

The NAHB Research Center has passed the century mark for National Green Building Certification, with more than 100 homes certified as green and another 200 in the process. All these new homes are meeting the national certification criteria of the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines. More than 100 single-family new homes have now been “Green Certified” under the program, nearly 200 more homes are in the certification pipeline for early 2009, and more than 300 professional verifiers across the country have been accredited to serve the certification needs of even more builders.

Whether it’s a bronze-, silver-, or gold-level home (or emerald-level when the National Green Building Standard is available), this third-party certification confirms that NAHB Research Center Green Certified homes meet the criteria of the most legitimate national definition of green for the home building industry. The NAHB Research Center, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NAHB, is the sole certifying body for National Green Building Certification.

“Accredited third-party verification lends credibility to green projects,” according to Michael Luzier, president of the NAHB Research Center. “Consumers can be confident that homes with the NAHB Research Center ‘Green Certified’ mark have been independently evaluated to ensure they actually meet the scoring criteria of the national program. There is no self-certification allowed in our program, which removes any consumer concern that a builder is simply ‘greenwashing.’”

Based on the requirements of the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines (or the National Green Building Standard, once available), the NAHB Research Center Green Certified mark means a project has been inspected at least twice by a professionally trained, accredited, third-party verifier to confirm that every green point claimed is included and installed correctly. In general, homes receiving this certification can deliver lower operating costs, reduced maintenance, and healthier, more comfortable living environments for their owners.

As of January 2009, all homes certified are single-family, new construction, per the criteria of the Guidelines including Site Planning/Development, Resource Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality, Homeowner Education, and Global Impact. Soon, builders will also have the option of having projects certified to criteria of the National Green Building Standard (the Standard), which includes provisions that define green attributes for developments, multifamily dwellings, remodeling projects, and additions, as well as single-family new homes.

National Green Building Certification requires homeowner education and guidance on how to maintain these high-performing homes at optimal levels. It also provides homeowners with the prospect of improved resale value as well as “bragging rights” because their homes will have the option of being listed on a national green home registry for the world to see.

Additional information is available online or from the NAHB National Green Building Program Hotline at (877) NAHB-GRN.