Replies

1. 
   shelternerd | Sep 07, 2009 07:29am | #1

   There are over 100 different "green point" rating systems in play in America at this point. Most of them are basically copies of the others or descend from the same basic Canadian system that became the NAHB green Building Initiative and Standard. The LEED-h system is a little more "design-o" but basically they all care about the same stuff with different priorities. The Audubon society even has their "Green Leaf" system.

   No big deal actually, if you score well in one you probably score well in all. you can learn a lot about them at http://www.NAHBgreen.org my advise always is NOT to score the next house you plan to build but instead score the last house you just finished and see where your normal way of building rates. Odds are good that you are already pretty close to green. the work is in collecting the proof required for third party verification. I just get an E-fax account and fax all the pertinent receipts to my computer and save them in a folder as PDF files for the verifier to review at the end of the job along with all the photos of the recycling and so on. it ends up being not such a big deal.

   I still get e-mails all the time from builders who think they need to collect every single point in the book and don't know where to get FSC certified framing lumber (hint "in your dreams dude", you don't need it to get certified) but I know a builder who did everything perfect except mention to the painter that they needed to use Low VOC paint such as Sherwin Williams Pro-Mar 200 or Duron Builder Masterpiece and got disqualified.

   I have an open account at NAHBgreen.org if you want to see what a minimal level green certified home looks like. hit "score my house" username is [email protected] password is chandler select National green building standard and then "danny's house" to see what the least expensive way to get certified green looks like.

   M

   ------------------

   "You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."

1. 
   treehse | Sep 08, 2009 07:02am | #2

   Thank you very much! I will take you up on that!

2. 
   MHolladay | Sep 08, 2009 03:50pm | #3

   TreeHouse,

   For a good overview of green rating systems, visit http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/green-basics/green-rating-systems-0

   Hope that helps.

   Martin Holladay, senior editor

   http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com