The Certified Green Professional™ designation recognizes builders, remodelers and other industry professionals who incorporate green building principles into homes— without driving up the cost of construction. The classwork and education that goes into this certification process enables us to build in accordance with the National Green Building Standard.
The NAHB Research Center issues National Green Building Certification to all types of residential construction – new or remodeled single-family homes, new or remodeled multifamily buildings, and residential land developments – that meet the criteria of the ICC 700-2008 National Green Building Standard. Prior to September 2010, the Research Center also offered certification to the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines. There are four green certification levels for homes available in the Standard – Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Emerald. Land Developments can earn One, Two, Three, or Four Stars.
The National Green Building Standard establishes design and construction practices for residential projects, including:
- New single-family homes — Includes detached single-family homes, townhomes, duplexes, tri-plexes, and quad-plexes
- New multifamily residential buildings
- The residential portion of mixed-use buildings
- Additions to single-family homes that equal less than 75% of existing square footage
- Renovations of single-family or multifamily buildings
- Renovations plus additions to single-family homes
- Renovations of pre-1980 residential buildings
- Renovations that change the use of non-residential buildings into residential uses
- Individual sections or phases of residential or mixed-use developments
- Entire residential or mixed-use land developments and subdivisions
Green certified homes incorporate green practices in six categories:
- Lot & Site Development
- Resource Efficiency
- Energy Efficiency
- Water Efficiency
- Indoor Environmental Quality
- Homeowner Education
