National Green Building Standard picks up momentum

As demand for authentic, verifiable green home construction practices continues its ascent, the National Green Building Standard is back on the presses for a second printing. The standard is also applicable to apartments and condominiums, hotels and motels and other residential spaces. The standard is the first green rating system for new homes, remodeling projects and residential communities to be approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The first printing was released by BuilderBooks, the publishing arm for the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), in March - and has already sold out. More than 1,000 building and remodeling projects are in the process of being "scored" for points accumulated toward energy, water and resource efficiency; lot and site development; indoor environmental quality and operation and maintenance - the hallmarks of green building. The standard's four construction thresholds -- Bronze, Silver, Gold and Emerald -- provide builders with a means to green at any level from above-code efficiencies that save water up to the highest level. For additional information on The National Green Building Standard, visit www.nahbgreen.com.