About the Program

Through the National Green Building Program, the National Association of Home Builders is helping its members move the practice of green building into the mainstream. Energy efficiency, water and resource conservation, sustainable or recycled products, and indoor air quality are increasingly incorporated into the everyday process of home building.

The National Green Building Program offers several resources and tools to help builders, remodelers, home building associations, and homeowners learn how to build green, and the benefits of doing so. According to a survey done in late 2007, the vast majority of residential builders and developers -- 90% -- are interested in participating in a voluntary green building certification program. The National Green Building Program was developed to link dozens of successful state and local voluntary green building programs (who alone have certified over 100,000 homes as of 2007) with a national online scoring tool for builders and verifiers.

Specific program components include:

• NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines. Published in 2005, the voluntary Guidelines cover seven areas, including lot preparation and design, resource efficiency, energy efficiency, water efficiency and conservation, occupancy comfort and indoor environmental quality, and operation, maintenance and homeowner education. These Guidelines are the basis for the Green Scoring Tool, but were also written for local organizations to use as a foundation for their own Green Building program, for easy customization to reflect local geographic and climate conditions. Download a copy of the NAHB Model Green Building Guidelines (3.5MB PDF).
• www.nahbgreen.org, the official National Green Building Program website. Learn more about the resources and tools offered through this site.
• The NAHB National Green Building Program Hotline at 877-NAHB-GRN (877-624-2476).  The Hotline is available from 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM Eastern time to answer questions, address comments, and provide resources to professionals looking to build green.  
• A yearly National Green Building Conference. The 2008 conference will be held in New Orleans May 11-13, and features exhibits, education sessions, networking opportunities, tours, and awards programs, including the National Green Building Program Awards, and with the National Arbor Day Foundation, and the annual Building With Trees awards.
• A national certification program that enables builders across the country to assure their homes are green, even if no local program exists in their area.
• The National Green Building Program Awards recognizes individuals, companies and organizations that are "bringing green to the mainstream," by transforming green design and construction practices. Several categories honor green building programs, marketing, green building advocates, and projects. Entries for the 2008 award program were submitted by January 31, 2008, however get more information.
• National education programs, including a two-day education course offered at the National Green Building Conference, and also offered by local HBAs.
• The Certified Green Professional Designation program which launched in 2008.

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