NAHB Green Building Program to Debut Today at International Builders’ Show

Orlando, Fla.–The National Association of Home Builders will officially launch its green building program on Thursday at the International Builders’ Show in Orlando, Fla.Builder trade associations across the nation are expected to fine-tune the new guidelines to create even more stringent local requirements based on climates and conditions, Newsday reports.The NAHB National Green Building Program will include education and ongoing training and a certification program for industry professionals. New homes will receive points in seven categories, which will cumulatively earn the homes a bronze, silver or gold rating.The group’s creation of a national model indicates it feels the NAHB membership should concentrate on energy efficiency and sustainability in building and remodeling projects, according to Newsday.Although the NAHB system is similar to the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, many residential builders feel LEED’s certification process leans toward commercial construction and focuses on architecture. In addition, LEED certification can be up to $5,000 for each building; NAHB certification is expected to be around $1,000, Newsday said.