Jul 7 2008
Less than five months after its introduction, nearly 800 builders, remodelers and other industry professionals have earned the Certified Green Professional designation from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
The rush to achieve the new educational designation is another sign that NAHB members continue to lead the home building industry toward resource-efficient home building, said NAHB President Sandy Dunn, a home builder in Point Pleasant, W. Va.
"Our clients - both new home buyers and home owners interested in a renovated kitchen or similar projects - are much more concerned about energy efficiency and utility bills this year, and that's driving even more interest in green building techniques," she said.
The Certified Green Professional designation is issued by the NAHB University of Housing, the educational arm of the association. The designation is part of the NAHB National Green Building Program, which also includes a green home rating system and scoring tool at www.nahbgreen.org.
It's designed for all home building industry professionals, from builders and remodelers to real estate agents, designers and marketers, and is open to non-NAHB members as well. Earning the designation requires taking a 16-hour Green Building for Building Professionals class, eight hours of business management instruction and a minimum of two years of industry experience. Designees also must adhere to a prescribed code of ethics.
Texas claims the greatest number of Certified Green Professionals, with 107 designees, and Dunn noted that Austin is the home of the nation's first voluntary green home building program. Additionally, Dallas will host the 11th Annual NAHB National Green Building Conference next May.
Other states with high numbers of designees include North Carolina, Florida and Indiana, but there are some in every state, Dunn pointed out. Consumers can use the "Find a Builder or Remodeler" search engine at www.nahb.org to find a local Certified Green Professional.
Educational specialists continually work on refinements to the Green Building for Building Professionals class content. "Green building is very dynamic, reflecting new technologies and the growing experience of many of our members," Dunn noted. "NAHB is keeping on top of these changes."
Green builder volunteers also are working with the University of Housing on a curriculum that will be part of a new designation: The Master Certified Green Professional. The Master designation, which is scheduled for introduction next year, will be more focused on technical and building science issues and is intended for home builders and remodelers.