Green Building Update - 08/01/2007 (Plain Text Version)
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E-mail Our Editor In this issue: A Program for All BuildersI've received many questions from state and local leaders as the NAHB National Green Building Program begins to take shape. Here are some of your queries, and here's what we know so far.
Our local programs are increasingly successful. Why a start a national program now? Because our members asked us to do so. Last fall, the leadership of NAHB’s Green Building Subcommittee voiced its growing concerns about the threat of mandates, much of it driven by local United States Green Building Council chapters. Later, at the Winter Executive Board meeting, additional testimony from members made it clear to me that in fact, this is a national problem. Additionally, heightened congressional interest in the effects of global warming are driving a surge in mandates and other legislation at all levels of government. Together, this prompted the NAHB Board of Directors to approve a resolution at the 2007 IBS calling for NAHB to “proactively seek to contribute to efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by establishing a national green building program.” In response to that resolution and member concerns about mandates, I was pleased to announce during the National Green Building Conference in March that NAHB would seek funding to develop a national voluntary, flexible program based on our successful Model Green Home Building Guidelines. The next month, I brought this initiative to the Executive Board and made our case. It’s not just about mandates or threats. In 2003, the NAHB Board of Directors approved a resolution calling for NAHB to be the voice for
It is not the intent of NAHB’s national program or in the interests of our members to compete with existing local programs. It will offer an opportunity, not a mandate, for co-branding and the protection of a national umbrella program. It will also give members green certification opportunities where no state or local program is in place. How are existing programs involved in the creation of the national one? I met with local program directors March 26 at the National Green Building Conference, and our Green Building Subcommittee leadership held a similar session during the Spring Board of Directors Meeting in
Where local staff are unable to meet in person, I count on NAHB members who attend these sessions to keep them informed of matters related to NAHB’s efforts. This newsletter is also an important part of our outreach and a way to solicit ideas from our green builder members and local staff. If you have questions or suggestions about what you read here, please contact the editor, Calli Schmidt, at 800-368-5242, ext. 8132, by e-mail at cschmidt@nahb.com or by fax at 202-266-8131, so your query can go to the appropriate person. How will the national program work? The details of the national program are still under development. It’s very important that we take the time we need to do this right. And as I said earlier, input from existing programs, along with other NAHB stakeholder groups, will determine how the program is organized and operated. Here is what we are considering so far. Much of the support and resources will be housed at the NAHB Research Center, including the new scoring software and Web site that are being developed as part of this effort. Staff there are now working to develop, test, and implement systems for the verification and certification of homes. Initially, the national program will be based on the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines, now in use by more than 20 HBAs and scores of individual builders around the country. When the National Green Building Standard becomes available at the end of the year, the verification and certification process will incorporate that document as well, giving builders an additional green choice and underscoring the NAHB philosophy of voluntary, not mandatory programs. There are two elements to certification: approval of a home design and verification of a completed green home. I envision that communities, too, can be certified as green if the builder commits to all homes being built and certified to the new program. Documentation requirements will likely be part of a certification application package and those requirements are being studied right now. How else will HBA-based programs participate? One important way to participate will be to become part of the pilot programs for HBAs and individual builders and the review groups for the certification tools and program components. For example, the
Once the program requirements are set, the NAHB Research Center will evaluate state and local HBA green programs that wish to participate and determine whether the stringency and comprehensiveness of their certification systems are at least equal to, or greater than, the national program. This should not present a problem for the more mature HBA-based programs, which have helped their members build thousands of green homes. Guidelines-based programs with third-party certification requirements should also be able to quickly become part of the national network. Clearly, there are many aspects of local program and provider participation that still must be worked out. Again, your comments are welcome as we come to a solution that works for all of us. How much will this certification cost? How will HBAs share in the revenue? This is not yet determined. Any decision on a fee structure would only be made after seeking the input of all stakeholders, including existing program directors and staff. One goal of the new national program will be to create opportunities to grow local program revenues. However, fees may be necessary depending on the level of national support required by participating state and local programs. What funding sources other than fees are you studying? NAHB is underwriting the development of the national program and thus far has not examined the future role of sponsorships or other sources of revenue, although I understand HBA concerns. I can only reiterate my earlier statement that the goal is not to reduce local revenue, but enhance it. Your ideas on how to generate additional money are welcome. How will national production builders work within the network? NAHB understands the concern that a national program could prompt national builders to abandon existing local programs in favor of the national program. I can assure you that NAHB will make every effort to address those concerns and promote building to national and local programs. Please talk some more about the 'stringency and certification' requirements. Who defines those? Ultimately, the minimum requirements for a national program will be a member-driven decision that falls under the purview of NAHB’s Green Building Subcommittee. The certification requirements and protocols will be developed with your help. Can you describe the relationship between the national program and the
I believe the creation of a national program complements and enhances our efforts on the ANSI standard. The feedback we have gotten from all stakeholder groups is that a national program based on a national standard, such as the one currently being developed by NAHB in cooperation with the ICC, will a very effective tool in fighting proposed state and local legislation to mandate green building practices. This is why the
What is the 'model legislation' meant to accomplish and what would it propose? Our state and local government advocacy staff is working on model legislation to offer choices to HBAs faced with mandates or that want to create voluntary green building programs based on incentives – such as fast-track permitting or tax breaks. In addition to these legislative blueprints, NAHB staff will develop a legislative toolkit for local use, similar to the successful toolkit created for construction defect legislation. What are the benefits to a quality, highly recognized, well established program to join the national program? I believe there will be many as we become part of a national presence in terms of educational resources, marketing tools, co-branding and revenue sharing, but it will be up to the established programs to decide whether to participate. We certainly don’t plan to force any existing program to join or to compete head-to-head with them for revenue. However, many members, including me, believe that without the protection of a national program, an existing program will be much more vulnerable to the competition: groups seeking mandates. As the voice of
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