NAHB Green: National Green Building Standard

The NAHB Green Building Program is a voluntary partnership of local home builders, building industry supporters, and sponsors committed to creating awareness and interest in the construction of higher-performance, lower-impact residential homes. The program has regionally specific green building construction protocols that are deemed essential in order for a home to be recognized by the program. Homes built to these protocols conform to higher standards of site management and waste recycling, water efficiency, indoor air quality, energy efficiency, materials, and homeowner education, which are detailed below.

Site Management & Waste Reduction

These homes incorporate efficient site management and waste reduction practices on the jobsite in order to help reduce the environmental impact of the home while under construction. These practices and principles include tree preservation and protection, recycling measures and storm water control systems designed for the site.

Water Efficiency

Preserving water resources is important to all Waco residents, and NAHB Green Build homes are designed to conserve water both indoors and out. In a cooperative program with LCRA’s Water IQ, more efficient water delivery systems indoors combined with drought-tolerant landscaping choices and smart irrigation systems outdoors help extend current water resources.  Buyers should discuss other ‘green built’ offerings with their builder such as rainwater catchment and additional water saving appliances to maximize water savings.

Indoor Air Quality

Following energy efficiency, consumers often cite the home’s indoor air quality as the most important feature of their home. Sensitivities to chemicals that can be emitted from construction and home furnishing materials are becoming more common and NAHB Green Build homes aim to mitigate the effects of potential contaminants. Through proper design, ventilation and filtering the source of contaminates can be controlled, diluted and/or captured.

Energy Efficiency

Energy consumption is of paramount concern to today’s homebuyers due to financial and far-reaching environmental impacts. In addition, each home consumes energy year after year, meaning that the environmental impacts associated with that use accrue over time. Therefore, energy conservation is an integral part of all NAHB Green Build homes.  These homes are certified to meet the EPA’s ENERGY STAR performance standard. With the help of independent Home Energy Raters, local NAHB Green Builders choose the most appropriate energy-saving features for their homes in order to obtain ENERGY STAR certification. Raters conduct onsite testing and inspections to verify the energy efficiency measures, as well as insulation and air tightness. Upon completion of the verification process, the home obtains ENERGY STAR certification and is scored on the HERS (Home Energy Rating Systems) Index.  The HERS Index is a scoring system established by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) in which a home built to basic code specifications scores a HERS Index of 100. The lower a home’s HERS Index, the more energy efficient it is in comparison to the Reference Home. Each 1-point decrease in the HERS Index roughly corresponds to a 1% reduction in energy consumption compared to the Reference Home.   Realized efficiencies are working toward realized incentives programs for builders and homeowners, by way of cooperative programs with electrical providers like PEC and CTEC.

Material Usage

NAHB Green Build homes start with the consideration of the environment at the design phase, when material selection occurs. Locally, these homes use environmentally friendly engineered lumber products. These products help optimize lumber resources since 50% or more of the log is converted into structural lumber.  In addition, these homes are built with sustainability in mind. Drainage considerations, weatherization techniques and durable cladding materials help minimize the effects of our harsh climate.

 Homeowner Education

A builder can do only so much when it comes to how the home will perform. Homeowners play a big role in their home’s performance and, therefore, should take the utmost care to operate their NAHB Green Build home as it was intended. Ongoing and timely preventative maintenance helps ensure a healthy, resource-efficient home for years to come.

Membership in NAHB Green Building Program is open to both Builder and Associate members of the Heart of Texas Builders Association. Through special events and media outreach, the program endeavors to make area homebuyers more aware of its green building program and its participants

The NAHB Green Building Program is your guarantee of an authentically green home that’s built the way you want.  

Cost-effective, flexible and sensible. Make your homes more resource and energy efficient with NAHB Green.

Through the National Green Building Program, the National Association of Home Builders is helping its members move the practice of green building into the mainstream. Energy efficiency, water and resource conservation, sustainable or recycled products, and indoor air quality are increasingly incorporated into the everyday process of home building. Go to www.nahbgreen.org and check out the full list of resources and tools to facilitate green building as well as the benefits of doing so. 

NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines. Published in 2005, the voluntary Guidelines cover seven areas, including lot preparation and design, resource efficiency, energy efficiency, water efficiency and conservation, occupancy comfort and indoor environmental quality, and operation, maintenance and homeowner education. These Guidelines are the basis for the Green Scoring Tool, but were also written for local organizations to use as a foundation for their own Green Building program, for easy customization to reflect local geographic and climate conditions. Download a copy of the NAHB Model Green Building Guidelines (3.5MB PDF).

www.nahbgreen.org, the official National Green Building Program website. Learn more about the resources and tools offered through this site.

The NAHB National Green Building Program Hotline at 877-NAHB-GRN (877-624-2476). The Hotline is available from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Eastern time to answer questions, address comments, and provide resources to professionals looking to build green.

A national certification program that enables builders across the country to assure their homes are green.