Today’s topic is Green Building Certifications.
My guests today are Cathy Williams & Jim Edmonds with Enviro Custom Homes.

NAHB Certification

One key element of NAHB’s suite of green building tools is a green home certification program, which is administered by the NAHB Research Center. The Research Center will accredit home certification program verifiers and act as the sole home certifying body for the National Green Building Program.
All homes certified as part of the National Green Home Certification Program will be measured against the best existing definition of green and sustainable home construction. Currently, the certification program is based on the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines, published in 2005. In late 2008, homes certified under the national program will also have the option of being certified based on the National Green Building Standard (ICC 700-2008), which includes provisions that define green attributes for subdivisions, multifamily dwellings, remodeling projects, additions and single-family homes.
There are three green home certification levels available in the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines – Bronze, Silver, and Gold. (An additional Emerald level will be available in the National Green Building Standard.) The green levels and certifications address seven key green construction areas – Site, Resource Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality, Homeowner Education, and Global Impact.

Green Professional Designation

Offered by NAHB's University of Housing, the Certified Green Professional designation is another way building professionals can become educated in, and involved with green building. The designation requires 24 hours of NAHB-approved training, and additional continuing education every two years. Subjects covered in training discuss how green homes provide buyers with lower energy costs and higher value, and will include strategies for incorporating green-building principles into homes without driving up the cost of construction. The designation curriculum is based on the highly-successful Green Building for Building Professionals two-day course, and other requirements.
Upon successful completion, that individual is awarded the CGP designation, recognizing a high degree of professional competence. This designation is available to individuals only, and does not apply to companies, nor to specific homes or projects.
Training courses are offered at national events like the International Builders Show, the National Green Building Conference, and similar events. In partnership with local home building associations, required training is also offered at additional events and locations.
For more information about the Green Professional Designation, visit www.nahb.org/cgpinfo or call the NAHB at 800-368-5242.

Green building is the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings use resources — energy, water, and materials — while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building's lifecycle, through better setting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal.
Green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by:
1) Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources
2) Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity
3) Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation
A similar concept is natural building, which is usually on a smaller scale and tends to focus on the use of natural materials that are available locally. Other commonly used terms include sustainable design and green architecture.
The related concepts of sustainable development and sustainability are integral to green building. Effective green building can lead to 1) reduced operating costs by increasing productivity and using less energy and water, 2) improved public and occupant health due to improved indoor air quality, and 3) reduced environmental impacts by, for example, lessening storm water runoff and the heat island effect. Practitioners of green building often seek to achieve not only ecological but aesthetic harmony between a structure and its surrounding natural and built environment, although the appearance and style of sustainable buildings is not necessarily distinguishable from their less sustainable counterparts.

Environmental impact
Green building practices aim to reduce the environmental impact of buildings. Buildings account for a large amount of land use, energy and water consumption, and air and atmosphere alteration. In the United States, more than 2,000,000 acres (8,100 km²) of open space, wildlife habitat, and wetlands are developed each year.
As of 2006, buildings used 40 percent of the total energy consumed in both the US and European Union. In the US, 54 percent of that percentage was consumed by residential buildings and 46 percent by commercial buildings In 2002, buildings used approximately 68 percent of the total electricity consumed in the United States with 51 percent for residential use and 49 percent for commercial use. 38 percent of the total amount of carbon dioxide in the United States can be attributed to buildings, 21 percent from homes and 17.5 percent from commercial uses. Buildings account for 12.2 percent of the total amount of water consumed per day in the United States.
Considering these statistics, reducing the amount of natural resources buildings consume and the amount of pollution given off is seen as crucial for future sustainability, according to EPA.
The environmental impact of buildings is often underestimated, while the perceived costs of green buildings are overestimated. A recent survey by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development finds that green costs are overestimated by 300 percent, as key players in real estate and construction estimate the additional cost at 17 percent above conventional construction, more than triple the true average cost difference of about 5 percent.

Green building practices
Green building brings together a vast array of practices and techniques to reduce and ultimately eliminate the impacts of buildings on the environment and human health. It often emphasizes taking advantage of renewable resources, e.g., using sunlight through passive solar, active solar, and photovoltaic techniques and using plants and trees through green roofs, rain gardens, and for reduction of rainwater run-off. Many other techniques, such as using packed gravel for parking lots instead of concrete or asphalt to enhance replenishment of ground water, are used as well. Effective green buildings are more than just a random collection of environmental friendly technologies, however. They require careful, systemic attention to the full life cycle impacts of the resources embodied in the building and to the resource consumption and pollution emissions over the building's complete life cycle.
On the aesthetic side of green architecture or sustainable design is the philosophy of designing a building that is in harmony with the natural features and resources surrounding the site. There are several key steps in designing sustainable buildings: specify 'green' building materials from local sources, reduce loads, optimize systems, and generate on-site renewable energy.

Green building materials
Building materials typically considered to be 'green' include rapidly renewable plant materials like bamboo and straw, lumber from forests certified to be sustainably managed, dimension stone, recycled stone, recycled metal, and other products that are non-toxic, reusable, renewable, and/or recyclable (eg Trass, Linoleum, sheep wool, panels made from paper flakes, baked earth, rammed earth, clay, vermiculite, flax linen, sisal, sea grass, cork, expanded clay grains, coconut, wood fiber plates, calcium sand stone...). Building materials should be extracted and manufactured locally to the building site to minimize the energy embedded in their transportation.

Reduced Energy Use

Green buildings often include measures to reduce energy use. To increase the efficiency of the building envelope, (the barrier between conditioned and unconditioned space), they may use high-efficiency windows and insulation in walls, ceilings, and floors. Another strategy, passive solar building design, is often implemented in low-energy homes. Designers orient windows and walls and place awnings, porches, and tree to shade windows and roofs during the summer while maximizing solar gain in the winter. In addition, effective window placement (day lighting) can provide more natural light and lessen the need for electric lighting during the day. Solar water heating further reduces energy loads.
After heating and cooling loads are reduced, high efficiency cooling, heating, and water heating equipment, along with insulated hot water pipes and properly sealed and insulated ducts increase whole house efficiency. Higher efficiency appliances and other electric devices not only lowers direct energy use, but also lowers cooling loads in the summer by producing less waste heat. Similarly, fluorescent lighting, which uses two-thirds to three-fourths less energy than conventional incandescent bulbs[12] lowers direct electricity use and cooling loads. Other improvements include adding thermal mass to stabilize daily temperature variations, absorption chillers, optimizing houses for natural ventilation, cool roofs in warm climates, heat recovery ventilation and hot water heat recycling.
Finally, onsite generation of renewable energy through solar power, wind power, hydro power, or biomass can significantly reduce the environmental impact of the building. Power generation is generally the most expensive feature to add to a building.

Reduced Waste
Green architecture also seeks to reduce waste of energy, water and materials. During the construction phase, one goal should be to reduce the amount of material going to landfills. Well-designed buildings also help reduce the amount of waste generated by the occupants as well, by providing on-site solutions such as compost bins to reduce matter going to landfills.
To reduce the impact on wells or water treatment plants, several options exist. "Grey water", wastewater from sources such as dishwashing or washing machines, can be used for subsurface irrigation, or if treated, for non-potable purposes, e.g., to flush toilets and wash cars. Rainwater collectors are used for similar purposes.
Centralized wastewater treatment systems can be costly and use a lot of energy. An alternative to this process is converting waste and wastewater into fertilizer, which avoids these costs and shows other benefits. By collecting human waste at the source and running it to a semi-centralized biogas plant with other biological waste, liquid fertilizer can be produced. This concept was demonstrated by a settlement in Lubeck Germany in the late 1990s. Practices like these provide soil with organic nutrients and create carbon sinks that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, offsetting greenhouse gas emission. Producing artificial fertilizer is also more costly in energy than this process.

Low vs. High-Density Residential Areas
An aspect of concern in consideration of green building design is the phenomenon of urban sprawl. Urban sprawl is the outward movement away from the cities in the surrounding hinterlands creating suburbs. Movement into the suburbs creates low density housing, which brings along many environmental impacts due to increased transportation, larger houses using more building materials, and larger amounts of land use.

Toronto Case Study
A case study conducted in 2006 of two residential developments in the City of Toronto uses a life cycle assessment of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. A compact, 15-story condominium project located near the inner core of the City of Toronto is characterized as "high" density. A 161 unit residential subdivision of single-detached dwellings located near the border of the City of Toronto and the suburban Town of Markham is characterized as "low" density.
The study concluded that, per capita:
4) Embodied energy and GHG emissions associated with material production across the supply chain were approximately 1.5 times higher for the low-density development than for the high-density development. Per unit of living area (square meters), the embodied energy and GHG emissions were 1.25 times higher for the high-density development than for the low-density development.
5) Energy use and GHG emissions associated with building operations were approximately 1.8 times higher for the low-density development than for the high-density development. Per unit of living area (square meters), energy use and GHG emissions were approximately equal.
6) Transportation-related energy use and GHG emissions are 3.7 times higher for low-density development than those associated with high density development.
Overall, GHG emissions associated with the low-density development were 2.5 times higher than those associated with the high-density development. Energy use associated with the low-density development was 2.0 times higher, per capita, than energy use associated with the high-density development. Per unit of living area (square meters), energy use was approximately equal between the two developments studied. GHG emissions associated with the low-density development were 1.5 times higher than those associated with the high-density development.

Green building worldwide
Australia
There is a system in place in Australia called First Rate designed to increase energy efficiency of residential buildings. The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has developed a green building standard known as Green Star.
In Adelaide, South Australia, there are at least two different projects that incorporate the principles of Green building. The Eco-City development is located in Adelaide's city centre and the Aldinga Arts Eco Village is located in Aldinga. Guidelines for building developments in each project are outlined in the bylaws. The bylaws include grey water reuse, reuse of storm water, capture of rainwater, use of solar panels for electricity and hot water, solar passive building design and community gardens and landscaping.
Melbourne has a rapidly growing environmental consciousness, many government subsidies and rebates are available for water tanks, water efficient products (such as shower heads) and solar hot water systems. The city is home to many examples of green buildings and sustainable development such as the CERES Environmental Park. Another one is EcoLinc in Bacchus Marsh. Two of the most prominent examples of green commercial buildings in Australia are located in Melbourne — 60L and Council House 2 (also known as CH2).
The most recent building to receive the 6 Green Star award was in Canberra, where Australian Ethical Investment Ltd refurbished an existing office space in Trevor Pearcey House. The total cost of the renovation was $1.7 million, and produced an estimated 75% reductions in carbon dioxide emissions, 75% reduction in water usage, and used over 80% recycled materials. The architects were Collard Clarke Jackson Canberra, architectural work done by Kevin Miller, interior design by Katy Mutton.
In NSW, an on-line assessment system called BASIX (Building Sustainability Index) (www.basix.nsw.gov.au) requires that all new residential developments to reduce water consumption by 40%, and CO2 emissions by 40% for detached dwellings and between 20 and 30% for multi unit dwellings compared to an average baseline. The online system provides designers with a mathematical model of the development that considered the interactions between the energy and water systems of the whole, drawing on climatic and normalized rainfall data for individual locations.

Canada
Canada has implemented "R-2000" guidelines for new buildings built after the year 2000. Incentives are offered to builders to meet the R-2000 standard in an effort to increase energy efficiency and promote sustainability.
A progression of the R-2000 home program is the EnerGuide for New Houses service. This service is available across Canada and is designed to allow home builders and home buyers to build homes that use significantly less energy than the average homes being built. Some Canadian provinces are considering mandatory use of the service for all new homes.
In December 2002, Canada formed the Canada Green Building Council and in July 2003 obtained an exclusive license from the US Green Building Council to adapt the LEED rating system to Canadian circumstances. The path for LEED's entry to Canada had already been prepared by BREEAM-Canada, an environmental performance assessment standard released by the Canadian Standards Association in June 1996. The American authors of LEED-NC 1.0 had borrowed heavily from BREEAM-Canada in the outline of their rating system; and in the assignment of credits for performance criteria.
In March 2006, Canada's first green building point of service, Light House Sustainable Building Centre, opened on Granville Island in the heart of Vancouver, BC. A destination for the public and professionals alike, the Light House resource centre is funded by Canadian government departments and businesses to help implement green building practices and to recognize the economic value of green building as a new regional economy.
1) Beamish-Munro Hall at Queen's University features sustainable construction methods such as high fly-ash concrete, triple-glazed windows, dimmable fluorescent lights and a grid-tied photovoltaic array.
2) Gene H. Kruger Pavilion at Laval University uses largely non polluting, non toxic, recycled and renewable materials as well as advanced bioclimatic concepts that reduce energy consumption by 25% compared with a concrete building of the same dimensions. The structure of the building is made entirely out of wood products, thus further reducing the environmental impact of the building.
3) The City of Calgary Water Centre officially opened June 4, 2008 at the Manchester Centre with a minimum Green Building Council of Canada’s Gold LEED™ (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) level certification. The 183,000 square-foot office building is 95 per cent day lit, conserves energy and water and fosters a productive, healthy environment for visitors and employees alike.

Germany
German developments that employ green building techniques include:
1) The Solarsiedlung (Solar Village) in Freiburg, Germany, which features energy-plus houses.
2) The Vauban development, also in Freiburg.
3) Houses designed by Baufritz, incorporating passive solar design, heavily insulated walls, triple-glaze doors and windows, non-toxic paints and finishes, summer shading, heat recovery ventilation, and grey water treatment systems.
4) The new Reichstag building in Berlin, which produces its own energy.

India
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) plays an active role in promoting sustainability in the Indian construction sector. The CII is the central pillar of the Indian Green Building Council or IGBC. The IGBC has licensed the LEED Green Building Standard from the U.S. Green Building Council and currently is responsible for certifying LEED-New Construction and LEED-Core and Shell buildings in India. All other projects are certified through the U.S. Green Building Council. There are many energy efficient buildings in India, situated in a variety of climatic zones. Many architects from India are adopting green building techniques, like:
1) p.f.a. design firm
2) Indigo Design & Engineering Associates Pvt. Ltd.,[23].
CII-IGBC recently announced that Shree Ram Urban Infrastructure - a developer - is attempting the first ever LEED Platinum rating (Core & Shell) in India and will be the first ever residential building in the world to do so. Entitled ' Palais Royale', the building will be located in Worli, Mumbai with an estimated height of over 1000ft.

Israel
Israel has recently implemented a voluntary standard for "Buildings with Reduced Environmental Impact" 5281, this standard is based on a point rating system (55= certified 75=excellence) and together with complementary standards 5282-1 5282-2 for energy analysis and 1738 for sustainable products provides a system for evaluating environmental sustainability of buildings. United States Green Building Council LEED rating system has been implemented on several building in Israel including the recent Intel Development Center in Haifa and there is strong industry drive to introduce an Israeli version of LEED in the very near future.

Malaysia
The Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM) promotes green building techniques. Malaysian architect Ken Yeang is a prominent voice in the area of ecological design.

Mexico
The Mexican town of San Felipe, Baja California, is home to the largest solar-powered community in North America (3000+ home sites), with completely off-the-grid neighborhoods within El Dorado Ranch, a 30,000-acre (120 km²) development in San Felipe.
Because of the arid climate in this Sea of Cortez town, a number of green building initiatives have been implemented including:
Straw-Bale Home Construction, enabling insulation factors of R-35 to R-50, as verified by the U.S. Dept. of Energy, 1995.
Predominant use of xeriscaping - landscaping practices that reduces water consumption, energy consumption and toxic chemical usage.
Golf Course construction utilizing SeaDwarf Grass, one of the most salt tolerant grasses with the ability to withstand ongoing irrigation having salinity levels in excess of 20,000 ppm TDS

New Zealand
The New Zealand Green Building Council has been in formation since July 2005. An establishment board was formed later in 2005 and with formal organizational status granted on 1st February 2006. That month Jane Henley was appointed as the CEO and activity to gain membership of the World GBC began. In July 2006 the first full board was appointed with 12 members reflecting wide industry involvement. The several major milestones were achieved in 2006/2007; becoming a member of the World GBC, the launch of the Green Star NZ — Office Design Tool, and welcoming our member companies.

United Kingdom
Main article: Energy efficiency in British housing
The Association for Environment Conscious Building (AECB) has promoted sustainable building in the UK since 1989.
The UK Building Regulations set requirements for insulation levels and other aspects of sustainability in building construction.
In Wales, advice on and access to sustainable building is available from a not-for-profit organization called [Rounded Developments Enterprises. They run a Sustainable Building Centre in Cardiff.

United States
The United States has established several sustainable design organizations and programs.
The National Association of Home Builders, a trade association representing home builders, remodelers and suppliers to the industry, has created a voluntary residential green building program known as NAHB Green (www.nahbgreen.org). The program includes an online scoring tool, national certification, industry education, and training for local verifiers. The online scoring tool is free to builders and to homeowners.
The Green Building Initiative is a non-profit network of building industry leaders working to mainstream building approaches that are environmentally progressive, but also practical and affordable for builders to implement. The GBI has developed a web-based rating tool called Green Globes, which is being upgraded in accordance with ANSI procedures.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program rates commercial buildings for energy efficiency and provides Energy Star qualifications for new homes that meet its standards for energy efficient building design.
In 2005, Washington State became the first state in the United States to enact green building legislation. According to the law, all major public agency facilities with a floor area exceeding 5,000 square feet (465 m²), including state funded school buildings, are required to meet or exceed LEED standards in construction or renovation. The projected benefits from this law are 20% annual savings in energy and water costs, 38% reduction in waste water production and 22% reduction in construction waste.
Charlottesville, Virginia became one of the first small towns in the United States to enact green building legislation. This presents a significant shift in construction and architecture as LEED regulations have formerly been focused on commercial construction. If US homeowner interest grows in "green" residential construction, the companies involved in the production and manufacturing of LEED building materials will become likely candidates for tomorrow's round of private equity and IPO investing.