National Green Building Certification provides a standardized process for certifying homes as green. The National Green Building Standard establishes requirements in six areas and four certification levels. Projects are verified by third parties to ensure compliance. Certification offers benefits to homeowners, builders, and the environment through resource efficiency and reduced environmental impacts.

1. National Green Building
Certification
EEBA Conference – Portland, OR
October 14

2. Benefits of Green Homes
 Increased durability
 Better indoor air quality
 Reduced environmental
impact
 Lower utility bills
 More comfortable
 Reduced waste / pollution

3. Total Cost of Homeownership
Conventional Home Green Certified Home
House Cost $150,000 House Cost $154,000
Mortgage $135,000 Mortgage $139,334
Monthly Payment $991 Monthly Payment $1023
Utility Bills $93
Utility Bills $186
Total Cost $1116
Total Cost $1177
Homeownership
Homeownership
Savings $61

4. Builder Interest in Green
No Interest 12%
Considering Green 20%
Learning How to Build Green 23%
Build Non-Certified Green Homes 28%
Build Certified Green Homes 17%
TOTAL 100%
Source: 2009 Home Builder Omnibus Survey, NAHB Research Center

5. Benefits to Builders
 Third-party inspections during construction allow
problems to be corrected more easily
 Builder can provide third-party assurance to home
buyers and increase customer satisfaction
 Verification and certification guarantees compliance
with NGBS
 Verifiers can help builders incorporate best green
building practices into their projects

6. Certification to the NGBS Green ANSI Standard
NGBS GREEN
CERTIFICATION

7. Key
Elements
1. ANSI-approved consensus standard
2. Free web-based Green Scoring Tool
3. Third-party verification of all points claimed
4. Applies to all residential projects
5. Requires progressively higher levels of
environmental performance in every category to
obtain higher levels of green certification

8. National Green Building Standard
(NGBS)
 Approved Jan 2009
 Collaboration between
ICC and NAHB
 Only ANSI-approved
green building rating
system

9. National Green Building
Standard
 Hallmarks of ANSI process include:
 consensus by balance of stakeholders;
 broad-based public review and comment;
 consideration of public comments;
 incorporation of approved changes into
standard; and
 right to appeal for anyone who believes that due
process was not respected

10. 6 Green Practices Categories
Lot Design Energy
Efficiency
Indoor Air Water
Quality Efficiency
Operation & Resource
Maintenance Efficiency

11. NGBS Green
Certification Levels
 Available Levels of Green Certification
 Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Emerald Levels
 Minimum score per section required for each
level
 Need additional points across all sections
 The lowest section score determines the home’s
overall score

12. Performance Levels

13. Certification to the Standard
Standard
defines
green
National Project
certification verification
ensures ensures
consistency compliance

14. Project Certification Process
Builder Scores Project
Builder Hires Accredited
Verifier
Notify NAHB
Rough Inspection Research Center
Final Inspection
Notify NAHB
Research Center
Obtain Green Certified Mark

15. Importance of Certification
 Buyers wary
 Certification mark - proof of
compliance
 RC protective of misleading
claims
 Heightened Scrutiny
 New FTC Green Guides
 Energy Star GAO Report

18. Certification to the NGBS Green ANSI Standard
COSTS

19. Green Rating Cost Comparison
Bronze / Emerald/
Rating System Silver Gold
Certified Platinum
National Green
1 - 2% 3% 7% 16%
Building Standard
LEED-H 3 - 6% 5 - 7% 11 - 13% 17 - 23%

20. Cost Analysis & Comparison
 Generally there are 3 costs associated
with building & certifying to the NGBS
 Construction Costs
 Verification/Testing Costs
 Certification Fees

21. Verification Costs
 Determined between each Builder & Verifier
 Inspections typically two hours each
(rough & final)
 Many verifiers also provide other inspection/
testing services are already on site
 Testing fees set by
the market

22. Certification Fees
 Single-Family Homes
 $200/home (NAHB members)
 $500 (non-NAHB members)
 Multifamily buildings
 $200/building (NAHB members)
 $500 (non-NAHB members)
 Plus per-unit fee ($20)
 Land Development
 Design Approval ($2,500)
 Certified Development ($2,500)

23. TYPES OF RESIDENCES
CERTIFIED

24. Scope of NGBS
 Green Subdivisions
 Green Building Path
 Single Family
 Multi-family
 Additions
 Renovations
 Green Remodel Path

25. Green Subdivisions -
Land Development
 One, Two, Three, and
Four Stars
 Performance criteria in
Standard Chapter 4
 Measures at planning,
design and
construction phases
 Certification at design,
completion, or for
phases

26. Green Building Path-
Multi-family Buildings
 All units must have
green practice for
points
 Includes MF
remodeling
 One verification
report per building
 Mixed-use ok

27. Green Building Path-
Additions
 Available for additions
adding 75% or less
conditioned floor area
to the building
 Requires:
 Follows green building
path
 Uses Addition notes
specified in the NGBS

28. Green Building Path-
Green Renovation
 Available for any home
 Requires:
 Follows green building
path
 Uses Addition notes
specified in the NGBS

29. Green Remodel Path
 Available for homes
pre-1980
 Requires:
 Improve energy
efficiency
 Reduce water usage
 Implement indoor air
quality measures
 Strictly performance
based

30. The TurboTax® for the Standard
THE GREEN SCORING
TOOL

31. 31

33. New Scoring Spreadsheet

34. Verification to the NGBS
3RD PARTY VERIFICATION

35. Third-Party Verification

36. Verification Details
 NAHB Research Center Accredited Verifier
 100% Verification
 Two Verification inspections
 One at rough
 One at final
 Verifier’s Resource Guide
used as basis for scoring
principles

37. Green & Energy Certification in One
DUAL CERTIFICATION FOR
NEW HOMES

38. Dual Certification
NGBS & Builders Challenge
 Dual Certification
 June 29, 09
 NGBS
 DOE’s Builders Challenge
 Seamless Integration w/
Green Certification
 Green scoring tool
 www.NAHBGreen.org

39. DOE’s Builders Challenge
 Department of Energy’s
(DOE’s) Builders
Challenge
 Energy Certification
 HERS Index of 70 or less
 Quality Criteria

40. Dual Certification
 Building practices leading to high
performance homes
 All practices in Builders Challenge Quality
Criteria are part of the NGBS (Chap 6,7, &
9)
 Most NGBS silver-level houses can also
meet Builders Challenge

41. Products pre-approved for points under Standard
GREEN APPROVED
PRODUCTS

42. Green Approved Products
 Pre-approved points for products
 Assists builders with making product
choices
 Link in Green Scoring Tool
 Simplifies specifications and field inspections
 Simple and seamless process for builders to
select products

43. Approved Products Integrated
with Green Scoring Tool

46. www.GreenApprovedProducts.com

47. Program Stats
 Accredited Verifiers 405
 Projects Scored 15003
 Green Approved Products 135
 Builders 429
 Certified Homes 1515
 MF / Units 16/702
 Land Development 11
 Scheduled Inspections 488

48. LOOK FOR THIS MARK.
IT’S PROOF THAT YOUR
HOME IS GREEN!

49. Certification
Questions?
www.nahbgreen.org
 Contact Us

50. NGBS Update
 Current NGBS Revision Proposals
 http://ngbscomments.nahbrc.org/
 Plan to start the
process to update
the NGBS in 2011
 NAHB Research
Center Secretariat
for ANSI update
50

51. Resources
 National Green Building Certification
 www.NAHBGreen.org
 Dual Certification
 www.NAHBGreen.org/Guidelines/builderschallenge.aspx
 Green Approved Products
 www.GreenApprovedProducts.com
 NGBS Revision Proposal Form
 http://ngbscomments.nahbrc.org

52. Amber Wood
Program Manger, Energy Efficiency
NAHB Research Center
400 Prince George’s Blvd  Upper Marlboro, MD 20774
301-430-6309 (toll-free) 800-638-8556 
awood@nahbrc.com
www.nahbrc.com
www.NAHBGreen.org
www.GreenApprovedProducts.com