Support for Sustainable, Green, Resilient and High-Performance Homes

Resolved that the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) oppose mandatory above-code sustainability, green building and resiliency requirements;

Further resolved that NAHB support voluntary sustainable, green, and high-performance new home construction and remodeling in lieu of mandates by:

1. Urging the adoption of the National Green Building Standard (NGBS) and related policies and legislation that facilitate and promote voluntary resource efficient and resilient construction, remodeling, and land development; and
2. Providing technical assistance to local and state home builder associations (HBAs) to help advocate against mandates and/or more stringent state or local land development or building/remodeling requirements.

Further resolved that NAHB urge federal, state and local entities considering incentivizing above-code sustainability, green building, or resiliency initiatives to:

1. Adopt the NGBS as either a baseline standard or a qualified option for compliance;
2. Recognize the Certified Green Professional (CGP) and Master Certified Green Professional (MCGP) designations as equivalent to other industry green building designations should the initiative require professional designations;
3. Recognize Home Innovation Research Labs Accredited Verifiers as qualified professionals, should the initiative require project certification;
4. Provide incentives to offset impacts on home construction and purchase prices and preserve the ability of home buyers to qualify for mortgages for homes that are constructed with sustainable, green, and/or resilient features; and
5. Support the use of those products and techniques that result in reasonable paybacks in energy, insurance premium, or other savings to the consumer.

Further resolved that NAHB build on its leadership role as the voice for America’s home building industry members who choose to engage in above-code resilient, resource and energy efficient development, design and construction by taking proactive steps, including:

1. Encouraging research on and the use of practical options that make construction more resilient, energy efficient, and resource efficient;
2. Advocating for and educating stakeholders to ensure property listings, lending practices and appraisals recognize and factor-in the value of resource efficiency and other sustainable and resilient elements;
3. Providing HBAs, builders, developers, designers and remodelers who choose to build sustainable, green, or resilient homes with varied and extensive educational opportunities, resources, and tools such as cost/benefit analyses and payback/return on investment calculations to effectively integrate resource efficient, sustainable, green, and resilient strategies into their businesses to distinguish their homes and projects within the marketplace.

Further resolved that NAHB actively promote and advocate for the NGBS as the preferred voluntary green building Standard for residential projects; emphasize its value as the only national, consensus-based residential green building third-party certification program for builders to rely on across local and state jurisdictions; and underscore its role as a common sense alternative to other consensus and non-consensus based programs.

Further resolved that NAHB, both independently and through its partners and governmental entities, provide data and information related to resource efficient, sustainable, green, and resilient residential design, building, remodeling, and land development to actively promote and advocate for the NGBS and the CGP and MCGP designations.

Resolution originally adopted: 2017.1, Resolution No. 1

Committee with primary jurisdiction:

• Environmental Issues Committee