UPPER MARLBORO, MD, February 5, 2009 – The nation’s first consensus-driven standard for residential green building has been approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The ICC 700-2008 National Green Building Standard™ (NGBS) provides a flexible and robust third-party rating system for residential green project certification, which will be used for the NAHB National Green Building Program (NAHB Green).
“Builders and homebuyers who have been confused by the many characterizations of green building in the marketplace now have clear, flexible, bona fide criteria defined under the NGBS,” said Michael Luzier, president of the NAHB Research Center. “Under the Standard, there are options for Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Emerald levels of certification that provide builders with the flexibility to choose the certification level appropriate for their market and their customers.”
The NAHB Research Center, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), is the NAHB-approved, third-party certifying body for National Green Building Certification. As an ANSI-Approved Standards Writing organization, the Research Center also played a pivotal role as Secretariat in the development process for the Standard. Prior to approval of the Standard, the Research Center’s green home certification was based on the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines, which applied only to new single-family homes. With the new option of certification to the Standard, developments, multifamily dwellings, remodeling projects, and additions can also receive National Green Building Certification from the Research Center.
Using the interactive Green Scoring Tool available on the NAHB Green website, builders, designers, remodelers, and homebuyers can compile information about the practices and products that make a home green. The tool specifies points that are awarded per the criteria of either the Guidelines (Lot Design, Resource Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality, Homeowner Education, and Global Impact) or the Standard (Lot Design, Preparation, and Development; Resource Efficiency; Energy Efficiency; Water Efficiency; Indoor Environmental Quality; and Operation, Maintenance, and Building Owner Education).
The NAHB Research Center Green Certified mark means a project has been inspected at least twice by an independent, third-party verifier to confirm that every green point claimed in the design has been included and is installed correctly.
Additional information about the National Green Building Program, including the Green Scoring Tool, verification, and green project certification, is available from www.nahbgreen.org or from the National Green Building Hotline at 877-NAHB-GRN (877-624-2476).
Debbie Scott
Public Relations Specialist
 NAHB Research Center
400 Prince George's Blvd.
Upper Marlboro, MD 20774
(301) 430-6269 direct OR (800) 638-8556
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