National Green Building Certification website
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Project Certification Overview

The NAHB Research Center accredits third-party verifiers and acts as the sole certifying body for the National Green Building Program.

As green building grows in popularity, so does the scrutiny of green certifications. Make sure your project has the credibility of an accredited third-party certification to back it up.

Green Certification is based on the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines and the ICC 700-2008 National Green Building Standard™. There are three green certification levels available in the Guidelines – Bronze, Silver, and Gold. The National Green Building Standard includes an additional level for residential buildings, Emerald. Land Developments can earn One, Two, Three, or Four Stars.

Residential buildings, remodeling/retrofit projects, and developments can be Green Certified to the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines or the National Green Building Standard as detailed below.

There are three green certification levels available in the Guidelines – Bronze, Silver, and Gold. The Standard includes an additional level, Emerald. The green levels and certifications address key green construction areas including – Lot & Site Development, Resource Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Homeowner Education.

NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines:

  • Certification available for new, single-family homes only
  • Includes detached single-family homes, townhomes, duplexes, tri-plexes, and quad-plexes

National Green Building Standard:

  • Certification available for most types of residential construction or development projects
  • New single-family homes -- Includes detached single-family homes, townhomes, duplexes, tri-plexes, and quad-plexes
  • New multi-unit 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 multi-unit 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. Building conversions can be certified using the Green Building Path but not the Green Remodel Path
  • Individual sections or phases of residential or mixed-use developments
  • Entire residential or mixed-use land developments and subdivisions

The following cannot be Green Certified at this time:

  • Additions only (of any size) to existing multi-unit buildings
  • Additions only greater than 75% of the original conditioned area of an existing single-family building that do not involve renovation of the original building
  • Developments that do not contain any residential uses

Dual Certification: National Green Building Standard with Builders Challenge

Logo for Builders Challenge program - a yellow sun with a round green center with with white letters B C in the center.New single-family homes certified to the Standard may qualify to be concurrently certified the Builders Challenge. Learn more about the Builders Challenge and how your green home may qualify.
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