Announcement of Green for Green

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today congratulated the Home Builders Association of Delaware and state officials on the creation of a program that offers cash incentives for building homes certified by the NAHB Research Center to the National Green Building Standard.

“This is significant news for home buyers in the First State,” said NAHB Chairman Bob Jones, a home builder and developer in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. “These incentives help bring green homes down to a more competitive price point, and that’s especially important for today’s consumer.”

Delaware Green for Green is a partnership between home builders and the state Department of Natural Resources of Environmental Control. The rebates range from $3,000 for homes built to the Silver level of the standard to $5,000 for Gold and $6,000 for the Emerald level.

The incentives are structured to reflect the progressively more strict requirements of the standard: For example, homes built to the Emerald level are built to be 60 percent more energy efficient than homes built to prevailing building codes.

All homes must be independently verified and then certified by the NAHB Research Center. Additional information and participation requirements are at www.degreen4green.com.

“In partnership with our state’s leaders, Delaware builders continue to lead the nation in using green building technology and building energy-efficient homes,” said HBA president Mark Grahne of Atlantic Homes. “Our members have built more green homes per capita than any other state. Delaware is a small state but we have a big agenda: We want to spur demand for energy-efficient homes, thereby increasing jobs while reducing our carbon footprint. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

NAHB Research Center President Mike Luzier said the Delaware program is another indication of the strength of the National Green Building Standard, the first residential green building rating system to be certified by the American National Standards Institute.

“While Delaware Green for Green applies to new home construction, the standard can also be used to score, verify and certify remodeling projects and residential developments. Because of its flexibility, ease of use, and the strength of the third-party certification, the National Green Building Standard makes sustainable construction accessible to the mainstream home buyer,” Luzier pointed out.

In addition to energy efficiency, the standard scores and rates new homes for resource and water efficiency, indoor environmental quality and lot and site development. A homeowner’s manual is also mandatory under the standard to help ensure the home is maintained and operated to best reap the advantages of the home’s green features.

“I’m very encouraged that other states are looking to this new Delaware program as an excellent example of an incentive program with clear environmental and economic outcomes,” Jones said.

“This is also a case study for what makes a successful public-private partnership: In this case, the state’s home builders, environmental officials, and the third-party NAHB Research Center. Delaware Green for Green is poised to be a home run,” Jones said.

For more information on the program and for home verification, contact Howard Fortunato at LandmarkJCM