Green Builders - Green Building Programs
What Different Green Building Programs are Available in NC?
If you're looking into a new custom home that is green-built, you may see certification by any one of the following programs. These green building programs are similar - each uses a point system to verify the different green aspects of the home, and each is independently verified by a third party inspection agency.
LEED Green Homes - US Green Building Council
The LEED program is a national program, with the same requirements and point system for any home across the nation, no matter what the climate or local conditions.
As most green home certification programs, "points" must be earned across a number of categories. For the LEED program, these categories are titled Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation & Design Process.
Read the 78 page LEED Green Home guidelines here.
National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Green Home Guidelines
The NAHB Green Home program is also a national program. The requirements are very similar to the LEED program. Again, a green home may vary considerably in actual design and features, as different combinations of points can add to a green home certification.
For the NAHB Green Home program, the point categories have slightly different names: Lot Preparation & Design, Resource Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency/Conservation, Occupancy Comfort & Indoor Environmental Quality, and Operation, Maintanence & Education.
Find out more about the NAHB Green Home program here.
Green Home Builders of the Triangle - Green Home Guidelines
The GHBT program is probably most commonly used in the Raleigh, NC area. This green homes point system is designed specifically for the North Carolina climate - lots of moisture in the air, and plenty of heat during the summer.
The Green Home Builders of the Triangle program has seven categories, but still covers all the same topics as the LEED and NAHB programs: Lot Design, Preparation & Development, Resource Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency & Quality, Indoor Environmental Quality, Operation, Maintainence, & Homeowner Education, and Global Impact.
Earthcraft Homes - Atlanta Based Green Homes Program
While you probably won't see an Earthcraft Home in the Raleigh area, you may see some elsewhere in NC. The Earthcraft green building program started in Atlanta, GA and has been gradually moving east. This is just another green building certification program, again with similar standards.
EarthCraft House guidelines include the following categories: Site Planning, Energy Efficient Building Envelope & Systems, Resource Efficient Design, Resource Efficient Building Materials, Waste Management, Indoor Air Quality, Water Conservation, Homeowner Education, Builder Operations, and Bonus/Innovation Points.
NC Healthy Built Homes
NC Healthy Built Homes is the fifth of the "green building" programs commonly seen in the area. This program emphasizes air quality (as do the other four programs mentioned), but does not have as strong an emphasis on as many aspects of a green home as the other programs available.
Certification of a Green Home
Each of these five programs is an independently verified green homes program with required third party inspections and verifications of materials and practices used. If your new home is certified, your builder will be able to provide you documentation of your homes status. Keep it on hand - if you should ever decide to resell your home, that green home certification will help your home stand out!
Interested in building a Green Home in the Raleigh NC Area?
We'll help you get started! Contact us, or call 919-278-8070.
You may also be interested in these New Home Green Building Topics:
NC Green Home Builders – Pittsboro Green Homes
What is a Green Home? Green Home Builders
How to Determine a Reasonable New Home Budget
WaterSense Toilets - How Much Water Do They Save, and How do They Work?
ENERGY STAR Homes - What is ENERGY STAR?
Ways to Save Water - Rainwater collection systems
Finding Your New Home in the Raleigh Area
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Call 919-278-8070 or visit www.StantonHomes.com to find out more about new homes in the Raleigh area today.
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Articles copyright Stanton Homes 2006-2011. Unauthorized use is not permitted. Provided for informational purposes only, no claims are made by Stanton Homes regarding the validity of any statements. Please note: all listing information per MLS, and current as of posting date. Information subject to change. Stanton Homes does not make claims to ownership of any lot listings, but can work with homebuyers to purchase available lots and build. Home plans to be approved on an individual basis, subject to neighborhood restrictive covenants and lot restrictions. Ask for further information regarding any community, lot or floor plan. Photos represent typical homes and details of each neighborhood, to help highlight different options available in the Raleigh/Triangle area. No claim of ownership is made to homes or land pictured.
Thanks for the Green Building information. This will be a good reference for me.
Thank you for the information, we can never get to much information to share.
Jack
Geat Post!! This is exactly what consumers want to read about. We're true fans of your blog at this point and this post should have been featured back in the day. Keep up the good work!!
Mike/Jack/Castellum - glad you found this helpful. Green building can be confusing, and means many different things to different people. Thanks for reading! This will be a continuing series, so stay tuned!
Penny, great info. I'm bookmarking this to look up the resource links for my state.
Heather - I'm sure there are similar organizations there! Remember, the first two programs are national, so they should be available everywhere.