Choosing a Green Building Professional
Category: Green Building
Author: Scott Allred
Posted: Wednesday - October 29, 2014
As green building becomes more popular, homeowners and those purchasing homes are looking for contractors, and real estate professionals who are qualified to provide green building services. A new professional designation program from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) provides home buyers with additional assurance that the builder they’ve chosen is authentically “green.” The Certified Green Professional (CGP) designation recognizes builders, remodelers and other industry professionals who understand how to incorporate green building principles into homes and provide green-building expertise for consumers. The designation is part of the NAHB National Green Building Program, which also includes a green home verification and certification service provided through the NAHB Research Center.
To qualify for the designation, applicants must complete 24 hours of green building and business management instruction, have two years industry experience, commit to continuing education requirements and sign the CGP Code of Ethics. This designation is available to individuals only, and does not apply to companies, or to specific homes or projects.
Subjects covered in the training include how green homes provide buyers with lower energy costs and higher value including lower maintenance and better indoor air quality. In addition, discussion focuses on strategies for incorporating green-building principles into homes without driving up the cost of construction.
The Triad Green Building Council (TGBC) took the initiative in hosting a CGP certification course in July, 2008 at Alamance Community College. The Council is pleased to be hosting another CGP course on February 1-2, 2009 in conjunction with the Southern Building Material Association conference in High Point. For more information and registration, go to www.greensborobuilders.org.
According to the NAHB, the Certified Green Professional program reached a milestone this month as the number of industry leaders who achieved their CGP designation grew to 1,500. Sandy Dunn, NAHB President, recently stated “of course we expected the CGP to be popular, because as green building grows, many consumers are looking for a builder with real credentials in today’s market. Nevertheless, this is phenomenal growth. The home building industry clearly sees the value of this designation and consumers will, as well.”
Consumers can find Certified Green Professionals in their home states by using the Builder and Remodeler Designation Directory at www.nahb.org. Learn more about the NAHB National Green Building Program at www.nahbgreen.org.
In addition to finding industry professionals that are knowledgeable about various green building practices, the Triad Green Building Council is in the process of developing a website that will be designed to serve as an information / resource center for consumers as well as industry professionals. Various green products and services will be showcased, as well as homes achieving the NAHB Green Certification will be profiled on the website which is scheduled to launch in mid January.
The Triad Green Building Council serves members of the Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem and Burlington Home Builders Associations that are interested in learning more about green building techniques, products and services. The council meets monthly with an educational program as the primary focus. Additional seminars and workshops are offered throughout the year for industry professionals and consumers. To find out more about the Triad Green Building Council, contact the Greensboro Builders Association at (336) 855-6255.
Scott Allred is the Chairman of the Triad Green Building Council and the owner of Precept Construction, LLC. He can be reached at scott@preceptconstruction.com or 336-286-6811. For additional resources on green building, please visit www.preceptconstruction.com.
