USGBC Announces LEED for Homes Affiliate Program for Local Green Building Programs

Program Designed to Advance Green Residential Housing Market and Third-Party Certification

(Washington, D.C. - August 20, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced the introduction of its new LEED for Homes Affiliate Program. The program allows regional green home building programs to promote the growing green residential market by partnering with USGBC as a LEED for Homes Affiliate. This new program is designed to work flexibly and smoothly with other third-party green home providers.

The objective of this new program is to increase the availability of the green homes stock through collaborations with local green home building programs across the country by further promoting sustainable design and energy-and-resource efficiency in all dwellings.

“This is an important step forward as we advocate for full marketplace adoption of green home building. One of the greatest benefits of the LEED green home certification program is its continual progress and flexibility,” said Nate Kredich, Vice President, Residential Market Development, USGBC. “Through the LEED for Homes Affiliate Program, green residential programs can partner with us to further promote green homes.”

According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration, households account for 20 percent of energy consumed in the U.S. and 21 percent of carbon emissions. Furthermore, the DOE reports U.S. residential energy use has grown by 34 percent since 1985. Though green home building programs are growing in popularity, the task of market transformation is an ongoing process, as some 120 million homes need energy efficiency improvements and retrofits. To address the need for knowledgeable green home building professionals, the Green Building Certification Institute implemented specializations for its LEED professional credentialing. The LEED Accredited Professional + Homes specialty allows LEED AP candidates to specialize as a green building expert in the residential field, advancing the construction of green homes by employing green building professionals.

The first two green home building programs that have signed-on to be LEED for Homes Affiliates are the Home Builders Association of Greater Dallas and Minnesota GreenStar. USGBC and HBA Greater Dallas have previously teamed up through Green Built North Texas, a voluntary partnership of local home builders, industry supporters and sponsors committed to green homes in North Central Texas. Minnesota GreenStar, a third-party green home building certification system, recognizes that its challenging climates require residential energy efficiency. These collaborations illustrate how smoothly LEED works with other third-party green home building programs. USGBC will further support its LEED for Homes Affiliates by helping these programs educate and advocate on behalf of its members.

“Our association is committed to creating awareness and interest in green, high-performance and efficient homes through our Green Built Texas program. By becoming a LEED for Homes Affiliate, we are

providing our members with another tool to remain competitive in a soft market,” said Phil Crone, Director of Government Affairs and Green Building Programs, Home Builders Association of Greater Dallas. “Working with one of the nation’s premier programs furthers our mission of advancing sustainability throughout the region and educating homebuyers on the benefits of green homes.”

LEED® for Homes
LEED® for Homes is a certification system that promotes the design and construction of high performance green homes. A green home uses less energy and water and fewer natural resources; creates less waste; and is healthier and more comfortable for the occupants. To date more than 2,600 homes have been certified and more than 18,000 are in the certification process. USGBC is working with more than 700 local builders and LEED for Homes Providers who are administering LEED residential certification on USGBC’s behalf at the local level. For more information, visit www.greenhomeguide.org.

U.S. Green Building Council
The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.

With a community comprising 78 local affiliates, more than 20,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 131,000 LEED credentialed professionals, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to soar to $60 billion by 2010. The USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.

Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39 percent of CO2 emissions, 40 percent of energy consumption, 13 percent water consumption and 15 percent of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85 percent of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org

Contact: Ashley Katz
Communications Manager, USGBC
202.742.3738

Follow us on Twitter at @USGBC

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