As green building grows in notoriety, so does the scrutiny of green home certifications. Make sure your project has the credibility of an accredited, third-party certifier to back it up.
One key element of NAHB’s suite of green building tools is a green home certification program, which is administered by the NAHB Research Center. The Research Center will accredit home certification program verifiers and act as the sole home certifying body for the National Green Building Program.
All homes certified as part of the National Green Home Certification Program will be measured against the best existing definition of green and sustainable home construction. Currently, the certification program is based on the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines, published in 2005. In late 2008, homes certified under the national program will also have the option of being certified based on the National Green Building Standard (ICC 700-2008), which includes provisions that define green attributes for subdivisions, multifamily dwellings, remodeling projects, additions and single-family homes.
There are three green home certification levels available in the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines – Bronze, Silver, and Gold. (An additional Emerald level will be available in the National Green Building Standard.) The green levels and certifications address seven key green construction areas – Site, Resource Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality, Homeowner Education, and Global Impact.
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