Certified green homes are designed to save money, increase efficiency, and promote a healthy home.
Over the last decade, home buyers have seen a proliferation of green home certifications that provide them with a variety of green choices when buying a home. Most green home certifications are national programs though many cities and regions have the advantage of locally green certifications available to area home buyers.
Green home certifications allow home buyers the ability to choose an independently verified green, energy efficient, healthy, and durable home without the worries of a lot of green washing. Each program has preset criteria that a home builder or remodeler must follow and independently verified to insure compliance with the green program.
The most notable programs around the country are:
LEED for Homes
The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Rating System (commonly known as LEED) is perhaps the most widely recognized standard for building green in the country. Until recently, the USGBC only defined standards for commercial buildings. A home can qualify for one of four levels of certification (Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum) based on a points system. The more green the home, the more points it earns. For more information, visit: www.usgbc.org
EarthCraft House™
EarthCraft House™, a well-established residential green home rating system, actually served as the model for the new LEED for Homes program. Developed by the Southface Energy Institute and the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, EarthCraft educates both homeowners and the residential homebuilding industry on environmentally responsible practices. For more information, visit: www.earthcrafthouse.com
ENERGY STAR®
In addition to rating the efficiency of individual appliances and products, ENERGY STAR® also affixes its blue star of approval on homes that meet energy efficiency guidelines defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ENERGY STAR® accreditation signifies at least a 15 percent improvement in energy efficiency over the current energy code, and homes are often rated by ENERGY STAR® in conjunction with other forms of certification. Such homes provide $200 to $400 in annual savings. For more information, visit: www.energystar.gov
NAHB National Green Building Program™
The National Association of Home Builders launched a new green building certification program in 2008. The NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines include three levels of certification – Bronze, Silver, and Gold – and The National Green Building Standard™ includes an additional level, Emerald. For more information, visit: www.nahbgreen.org
Earth Advantage®
The Earth Advantage® New Homes certification program is a third-party certification program for builders that helps them create energy efficient, healthy and resource-wise homes that add value for the homebuyer. The Earth Advantage New Homes standard requires projects to achieve a minimum number of points on a scoring sheet covering five categories over the course of two verification visits, including energy efficiency, healthy indoor air quality, resource efficiency, environmental responsibility and water conservation. Depending on the number of points earned, the projects may qualify for different levels of certification: Earth Advantage Silver, Gold, or Platinum. For more information, visit: www.earthadvantage.org/
Environments for Living®
A program designed by Masco Contractor Services, a leading insulation contractor and producer of home building products, that treats a home as a “system of systems” that work together. The Environments For Living® Certified Green program includes additional requirements in areas such as indoor air quality and lighting and water efficiency. Every Environments For Living program home is backed by Limited Guarantees for Heating & Cooling Energy Use and Comfort. For more information, visit: www.environmentsforliving.com
In addition to these national and regional programs, many cities and counties offer local green home certifications to area home builders, including Austin, TX, Boulder, CO, and Scottsdale, AZ.
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