Frequently Asked Questions

NAHB Green is a program from the National Association of Home Builders that helps builders learn how to incorporate green building practices into their projects, certify the results, and communicate the benefits of doing so to homebuyers. The program offers:

• design and technical assistance
• an online scoring tool so builders can gauge how green a planned home will be
• an accredited verifier network and national green building certification service
• green building education
• marketing and advocacy support

The Green Scoring Tool takes builders step-by-step through the design and construction process to select which green features to incorporate into their home plans. Although one doesn’t need to certify a house to use the scoring tool, builders seeking certification can work with an accredited verifier, who confirms that all the specified green features are in place at rough-in and at project completion. Results can then be submitted to the NAHB Research Center, an accredited third-party certification agent. If the project passes review, the Research Center issues a certificate indicating that the house has reached one of the program's green thresholds.

NAHB Green is based on the National Green Building Standard™ which has been approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), an organization whose approval ensures that a balanced committee vetted the criteria through a transparent and rigorous process; and that the result is unbiased toward any interests.

Single family homes can be certified Bronze, Silver, Gold and Emerald. With the release of the National Green Building Standard™, remodelers, multi-family builders and developers will also be able to score, verify and certify their projects. Any home building professional can use the National Green Building Certification service. Please note: the certification process must begin pre drywall—verification cannot be done retroactively.

The NAHB Research Center trains and certifies verifiers across the country who inspect builder score sheets, homes, and accompanying documentation to determine that projects meet the NAHB Green program benchmarks. When inspections are complete and the builder is satisfied with the resulting score, the verifier submits all necessary paperwork to the NAHB Research Center for review and certification.

The NAHB GREEN Scoring Tool and associated design and technical assistance are free to all home building professionals. Verification costs are set by individual verifiers and therefore, vary from market-to-market. The fee for NAHB members to certify homes is $200 per home.

NAHB Green is a nationally recognized third-party certification program. National certification means, for example, that the bronze-level green home in Greensboro is at least as energy efficient as a bronze home in Seattle and a bronze home in St. Louis. It doesn’t mean that they have the same features or that they even look the same. It means that they all meet a minimum, national level of performance. NAHB Green's online platform allows easy navigation through a variety of choices…allowing regionally appropriate green homes to be built at all price points.

The Certified Green Professional is a professional designation for individuals in the home building industry. A CGP designation allows those who hold it to distinguish themselves as having been trained in the fundamentals and best practices of sustainable residential construction. Designees have access to marketing materials and are included in an online database. The CGP is available to all home building industry professionals, including builders, subcontractors, architects and design professionals, as well as manufacturers and vendors.

Earning a CGP entails passing two courses—Green Building for Building Professionals and Business Management for Building Professionals. The Triad Green Building Council offers these courses two times per year. A CGP designation is not required to certify homes with NAHB Green, although a CGP is one of the recognized prerequisites for becoming a verifier.

www.nahbgreen.org is the home for NAHB Green tools and resources, including the Green Scoring Tool, and is a great place to go for additional information. Participation in the Triad Green Building Council is another valuable resource as monthly educational programs focus on the latest in green building techniques, products and services.