Florida Multifamily Development Going for NAHBGreen Gold

By Dees Stribling, Contributing Editor

Boynton Beach, Fla.—SeaBourn Cove, a 456-unit multifamily project on 23 acres in Boynton Beach, has been acknowledged as the largest such development to pursue gold level certification from the National Green Building Program (NAHBGreen), a creation of the National Association of Homebuilders. Ground was broken for the development recently by the Housing Group with Two Trails Inc. acting as the green consultant.

The property is being built in phases over the next three years. Each of the structures will be two- or three-stories high, with units ranging from one to three bedrooms. SeaBourn Cove will include such green elements as energy-efficient fixtures, use of renewable energy, and recycled building materials, according to the developers.

SeaBourn had originally been envisioned as a condo development, but the recession put the kibosh on those plans. Prices for the first phase, which includes 308 townhouses and apartments, will start at $1,200 a month for a one-bedroom unit.

For residential buildings, NAHBGreen offers four threshold levels: bronze, silver, gold and emerald, thus allowing builders to quantify and qualify their green building efforts. For example, at the emerald level, which is the highest rating for a residential green building, a building must incorporate energy savings of 60 percent or more compared with traditional building methods.

To comply with any of the NAHBGreen standards, a builder or remodeler must incorporate a minimum number of features in the following areas: lot and site development; energy, water and resource efficiency; indoor environmental quality; and home owner education. To attain a higher level of green certification by the NAHB Research Center, a residential property must accrue successively higher levels of minimum points in every category, with the highest level of certification dictated by the lowest category score level.