ICC 700-2008 National Green Building Standard™
The National Green Building Standard is the first residential green building rating system to undergo the full consensus process and receive American National Standards Institute approval. The four threshold levels - Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Emerald - allow builders to achieve entry-level green building, or the highest level of sustainable "green" building incorporating energy savings of 60% or more. Single-family & multi-unit homes, residential remodeling projects, and site developments are all covered in the Standard.
Dual Certification: National Green Building Standard with Builders Challenge
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.
Look for the Research Center Green Certified Mark!
Some builders claim their homes are green or that they build to the National Green Building Standard, but only the Research Center green certified mark is proof that the project has been independently verified by an accredited third-party and received National Green Building Certification. Be sure to look for the mark for assurance that the project was built in compliance with the National Green Building Standard.
Green Home Building Rating Systems - A Sample Comparison
Green Home Building Rating Systems - A Sample Comparison (PDF) evaluates the costs and technical requirements of bringing two sample code-compliant production houses in different climate zones (Dallas & Washington, DC) into compliance at one point in time (January 2008) with three different green building rating systems: NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines, the National Green Building Standard version 2, and LEED for Homes.