Working for Stanton Homes, a custom home builder that offers Energy Star-certified homes, Penny Hull has become an Energy Star expert who helps homebuyers navigate through energy-saving packages and opportunities. GreenBuildingTalk would like to welcome Penny as a contributing writer, and we look forward to learning more about Energy Star!

By Penny Hull from Stanton Homes.

If you're considering building or buying a green-built home, you probably have some specific ideas about what's involved in a green home.  Or maybe you just know that a green home is better for the environment, and you’ve made a decision to support a better world.  But how do you know exactly what is in a “certified green home”?

How "Green" is a Green Home?

There are a variety of different green building certification programs in any particular area.

Two programs that are nationally recognized are the LEED Green Homes  program, by the US Green Building Council, and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Green Home Guidelines.

There are three basic levels of certification that can be attained by collecting "points" in a variety of building areas, such as:  Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation & Design Process.

How many different levels of Green certification are there?

The LEED Green Homes program has 4 levels: Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.

To give an idea of what the different levels look like, we’ll go through a points system for the Green Home Builders of the Triangle.

The overall categories for most green building programs are very similar.  And each program usually requires a minimum number of points in each category, plus additional points in your choice of categories to add to the total. 

This program has three levels:  Bronze, Silver, and Gold.

Bronze Level Green Home Certification

In this program, a green home reaches bronze level certification when a total of 257 points have been earned, with the minimum amounts in each category.

Green homes with Bronze Level Certification may not have the same features and amenities - for instance, the green home can earn 5 points for minimizing slope disturbance, or 6 points for optimizing the homes location for solar resources by placing the long side of the home within 30 degrees of due south. 

A Bronze Level Green Home does not often have a solar water heater or solar photovoltaic power source, but can be the least expensive type of green home for this particular program, depending on the choices made.

Silver Level Green Home Certification

A green home reaches silver level certification when a total of 415 points have been earned, with again minimum amounts in each category. 

Thus 61% more points must be earned to reach Silver certification - so some could argue that such a home is 61% greener!  

It depends on the green homeowner or home buyers preferences and priorities - again, the points can be earned in a variety of ways.

A sealed attic is worth 8 points in the Energy Efficiency category, as is a sealed crawlspace and a solar hot water heater.  From the chart above, a Silver Level Green Home requires 62 points in this category, so a combination of many different features are needed.

Gold Level Green Home Certification

To earn a Gold Level Green Home Certification in this program, the green home must score a total of 549 points, or more than double that of a Bronze Green Home. 

Most Gold Level Green Homes are among the most expensive green homes available.

In Water Efficiency, one can gain 7 points for collecting and reusing rainwater, and 7 points for weather-based irrigation controllers (computerized).

Green Home Building and Buying Options Vary

As you can see, the types of green homes available vary quite a bit, and the combinations of green features can be almost endless. If you’re purchasing a green-built home, ask to see the certification, and find out exactly what features are included. 

With hundreds of "green" options available across seven different categories, you can design and build a green home that incorporates everything most important to you. Work with a local builder who is experienced in green building, in conjunction with a recognized green home certifier. 

Find out more about Stanton Homes here.