NAHB Rolls Out Green Building Guidelines

NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines. Austin, Texas, homebuilder Ray Tonjes, chair of NAHB’s Green Building Subcommittee, presented the Guidelines as “a milestone in our efforts to provide safe, decent, affordable housing for all Americans and to help conserve our environment.” NAHB’s perception is that so far green building has been “primarily the province of high-end, niche builders who cater to a wealthy clientele,” according to a press release announcing the Guidelines. The goal of the program is to help mainstream homebuilders incorporate green-building principles into their homes without driving up the cost of construction significantly.

The Guidelines can be used by homebuilders anywhere to self-certify their homes as “green.” In addition, the Guidelines can be used by local homebuilder associations (HBAs) as a blueprint for creating their own custom, voluntary, green-building programs. The document includes two parts: a “Green Home Building Checklist” and a “User Guide.” The latter contains a wealth of information on the hows and whys of the various checklist items.