NAHB Green Building Certification

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NAHB Green Building Certification
Welcome to the Big Tent 300 pm (ET)June 18, 2009
Michael ChandlerAdvisor, GreenBuildingAdvisor.com
President, Chandler Design-Build
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Not green enough in my book!

• The NAHB has never done more than greenwash.
• The GBI is an attempt by industrial homebuilders
  to benefit from "green" marketing without any
  real change.

Jeffrey Swainhart, Swainhart Construction Svcs
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Yes, the NAHB can be its own worst enemy.
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To call the NAHB Standard an exercise in
legitimizing mediocre behavior is somewhat of an
understatement. 

• The "standard" not only sets the bar a quarter
  inch above the floor, but it does not require
  third-party verification and is completely driven
  to reward exactly the same kind of practices that
  got us here in the first place
• Well intentioned builders will "think" they are
  building Green when in fact they are not.

Michael Anschel, Owner, Otogawa-Anschel Design
Build
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We have an opportunity to impact the future
through sharing our knowledge.
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To those who would diminish the value or attack
the content of the Standard I say

• Where were they when the meetings were being
  held?   
• It takes a lot more courage to challenge an
  institution (or industry) from the inside than it
  does to stand outside and throw stones. 
• As you know all too well, one must be willing to
  sacrifice any and all personal and political
  currency in order to have any chance of moving
  the needle.

Ron Jones Chair, NAHB-ICC NGBS working group
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Something about law and sausage applies well to
the NAHB standard
Heck of a way to spend a vacation, I was not
invited but I was there. Consensus means we
had lobbyists from Steel and Concrete and Big
Builders and Multi-family. All sorts of
interesting opinions. Ron Jones really held it
together.

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Climate change is too big for name calling

• Of course we shouldnt look to NAHB for
  leadership.
• Those of us who have the experience and the
  passion will need to look within ourselves for
  that.
• We will need an army of evangelical building
  science educators but the Standard will be our
  text.

Michael Chandler, preachin the gospel of green
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I just wish we would have had the vision as a
company to start building Green / Energy Star
Homes even sooner.

• We were just starting a new home for sale in the
  winter of 2008 , when NAHB launched the NAHB
  Green Building Guidelines.
• We decided to build this home as our 1st Energy
  Star home our 1st Certified Green home.

• Edward D. Nikles CGP , CAPS , GMB , CGB , CGR
  NAHB 2008/2009 Custom Home Builder of the Year

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The cost to achieve this level only added
approximately 6 to the normal sales price of
this model home.

• We achieved a HERS rating of 48 , with
  conventional (but upgraded) fiberglass
  insulation.
• Our home also scored Gold Level Green through the
  NAHB Green Building Guidelines.

• Edward D. Nikles CGP , CAPS , GMB , CGB , CGR
  NAHB 2008/2009 Custom Home Builder of the Year

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My Green Hero? Danny Winters of Cimarron Homes
(and his boss Craig Morrison).

• 1715 square feet.
• 3 Bedrooms w/ Loft.
• 2.5 Baths.
• NAHB Green Energy Star Cert.
• Local HBA Green Building Council Green Home
  Tour.
• Price 144,830 including the lot.

Danny Winters and Craig Morrison, Cimarron Homes
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Their Green Neighborhood in North Carolinais
featured at Green Building Advisorhttp//www.gree
nbuildingadvisor.com/homes/green-neighborhood-nort
h-carolina

• Danny and Craig sold three homes in Jan 06.
• In 07 they committed to building all homes
• both Green and Energy Star certified.
• In Jan 07 they sold eighteen homes.

Danny Winters and Craig Morrison, Cimarron Homes
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You could look it uphttp//www.greenbuildingadvi
sor.com/homes/green-neighborhood-north-carolina
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Get on the Train, or Get Hit by It

• If builders do not want to see the government
  creating green building legislation, why don't
  the builders do it themselves?
• If anyone has the body of knowledge to pull from
  and members with decades of experience building
  energy efficient, "green" homes, its the NAHB.

Jamie Hager Green Building Verifier Southern
Energy Management
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Be a skeptic, dont trust the process but work
within it for the greater good.
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I am working hard to improve the industry the
best way I know how.

• I have problems with the NAHB standard, as well
  as LEED, and most of the other programs out
  there, but I do believe that they are all
  attempting to accomplish something.
• I think that pointing out flaws in these
  programs is important to make people aware of
  them as well as push those with the power to make
  needed improvements.

Carl Seville, Green Building Curmudgeon
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The National Green Building Standard is not a
perfect document, no one ever imagined it would
be. 

• But the problem is not with the Standard itself,
  rather with the way it is being used by NAHB. 
• I am happy to see that people are calling out
  NAHB and other defenders of the status quo, but I
  am also pleased that there are those of us who
  are working hard from the inside to make real
  change come about.

Ron Jones Chair, NAHB-ICC NGBS working group
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One day there will be no such thing as green
building because all buildings will be green.

• We totally agree with your sentiment about
  keeping the goal in perspective, and not focus on
  whos is bigger/better. 
• NAHBs will be bigger by design, LEED will be
  more rigorous, and the USGBC is certainly okay
  with this.

Nate KredichVice President of Residential Market
DevelopmentU.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
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We need to all pull together to shift the
marketThere are many different roles to play
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How do we navigate the NAHB standard?

• Similar to Energy Star and LEED-h (and the bldg
  code)
• Learn the rules
• Play the game
• Repeat, get better, repeat.
• Start with the on-line scoring tool
  www.NAHBgreen.org
• (Bills working on an Excel version)
• First time score a house youve already finished.
  
• Learn how close you are already
• then identify opportunity for change.

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You have to score when you pull the permitOr
youre navigating without a map
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Dont forget the additional points

• Depending on the size of the home you will need
  50 more additional points to reach Bronze
• Or 100 additional points to reach higher than
  bronze
• You get a credit of
• 15 points for building less than 1000 sf
• 12 points for building less than 1500 sf
• 9 points for building less than 2000 sf
• 6 points for building less than 2500 sf
• You get a 1 point per 100 sf penalty for building
  over 4,000 sf

Grumpy Michael icon
(plenty of room for improvement on this part of
the standard!!!)
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It is theoretically possible to build a NAHB
green house without having it blower door tested

• I dont know of any builder who has done it,
• but it is theoretically possible.
• I created an open log-in at NAHBgreen.org
• User ChandlerDesign_at_mebtel.net
• Password Chandler
• I (and John Brooks, thanks) played around with a
  couple of variations on Dannys house
• Carl Seville contributed the West multi-family
  project

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So here is what the very least you could do and
still hit bronze under NAHB green looks like
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The energy section for that imaginary minimum
standard house looks like this

• 701.3 Mandatory practices Third-party plan
  review to verify that the intent of the Standard
  with respect to the energy efficient performance
  or specific prescriptive details are adequately
  implemented in the buildings design, and to
  ensure proper integration of various energy
  efficient technologies. Minimum energy
  performance per 701.1.2 shall obtain a minimum of
  30 points from 703 and include a minimum of two
  practices from 704

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The energy section for that imaginary minimum
standard house looks like this

• 701.4.1 Mandatory practices HVAC systems sized
  according to heating and cooling loads calculated
  using ACCA Manual J, or equivalent.
• 701.4.2 Mandatory practices Duct systems sealed
  to prevent leakage, bldg cavities not used as
  supply ducts.

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The energy section for that imaginary minimum
standard house looks like this
701.4.3 Mandatory practices Insulation and air
sealing installed in accordance with the
manufacturers instructions or local code, as
applicable. Caulking, gasketing, adhesive
flashing tape, foam sealant, or weatherstripping
is installed forming a complete air
barrier. 701.4.4 Mandatory practices
Fenestration U.40 SHGC .40 in zone 3, U.35 in
zone 4 and up.
(plenty of room for improvement on this part of
the standard!!!)
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The energy section for that imaginary minimum
standard house looks like this

• 703.1.1 (12 points) Building envelope Total
  building thermal envelope UA per RESCheck or eq.
  10 better than IECC. Third-party grading of the
  installation as achieving Grade 1 is required.
• 703.2.1 (3 points) Insulation and air
  sealingtightly fitted, enclosed six sides, voids
  lt 2, wraps wires, boxes, pipes, all boots
  caulked, air barrier, tub/stair/fireplace detail,
  masonry fireplace doors gasketed, outside air,
  chimney top damper.
• No third party verification except insulation
  to grade 1

(plenty of room for improvement on this part of
the standard!!!)
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The energy section for that imaginary minimum
standard house looks like this

• 703.4.4 (5 points) HVAC Heat pump heating
  efficiency 9.0 HSPF
• 703.4.5 (10 points) HVAC Cooling Efficiency 15
  SEER
• 704.5 (1 point) HVAC design and installation by
  factory trained technician

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shall obtain a minimum of 30 points from 703 and
include a minimum of two practices from
704.(and then you have guys like that joker who
wants Carl to certify an 850 sf rental unit with
three E-Star dishwashers without a blower door
test)

• 704.2.2 (2 points) Lighting appliances
  Recessed light fixtures that penetrate the
  thermal envelope less than 1 per 400 sf
• 704.2.5 (2 points) Lighting appliances ENERGY
  STAR dishwasher

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It dont matter how good the insulation is if
the door is open
Energy Star and Green Building Certification go
together like good bourbon and ice (cant use
peanut butter and jelly anymore) I still
havent heard of any verifiers passing a house
without a blower door test but under the old GBI
there was a disciplinary action against a bogus
verifier that sort of got hushed up. Sff
Happens
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A green building program with training wheels?

• If you can figure out how to participate in
  LEED, you will build a pretty good green house.
  Lord knows they have rules enough to make sure
  you do.
• But LEED is not transforming the market, and at
  least training wheels get you on the bike.
• Get on the bike, steer on over to the USGBC and
  get some fancier tires. That would be a nice
  ride.

Jamie Hager Green Building Verifier Southern
Energy Management
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Why work hard if theres not going to be a test?

• The simple fact is that it's difficult to measure
  your performance and make thoughtful improvements
  without third-party certification.
• It's hard to motivate people to pay money to take
  a test that they are likely to fail.
• Some of the Toughest hold-outs are old school
  solar builders.
• I joined Energy Star to protect myself from a
  client.

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Whatever I do is going to be not green enough
for somebody

• If youre not measuring you cant tell your team
  or your customers what your doing right, or
  wrong.
• If you arent measuring you have no defense
  against green washers.
• But if we only allow folks to take the test who
  we know will get a B or above, we lose the
  ability to motivate others to join the class.

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A low threshold is okay if it comes with
meaningful education.

• We've created a system where it is relatively
  easy to get a Pass"
• and for any conscientious and motivated builder
  to raise that score to a "B" and maybe even an
  "A" given the right client and team.
• Its hard to fix what you dont know is broken.

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As you improve you can switch to LEED-h,stick
with NAHB green or choose both.

• Im certifying five ways on one home right now.
• GHBT green, my local program here in NC
• NAHB green
• LEED-h
• DOE Builders Challenge
• and Energy Star
• Its fun to take the test when you know youre
  gonna get an A

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