It’s an organic process.

Beginning with bubble wrap and shredded paper, employees of Studio 2LR were creating a fashion masterpiece from recyclable materials.

Architects by day and fashion designers by lunch hour, the employees were stapling, stuffing and weaving the garbage to compete in this year’s Runaway Runway Fashion Show, sponsored by the Columbia Design League.

The International Code Council is developing an Inspector of Green Building Technologies certification exam to demonstrate a code official’s ability to understand the application of green building technology and assess adherence with green building programs. The new certification will help provide assurances that green and sustainable buildings also are safe.

November 13, 2007, Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), with generous support from Newland Communities, has launched a new Web site that will give homeowners, homebuyers, renters, landlords and others the tools they need to ensure their homes are as healthy and environmentally friendly as possible. 

“As Americans learn more about the importance of their actions on the health of their families and future generations, living a greener life becomes more vital,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “Where better to start than in the home?”

The Green Home Guide, www.greenhomeguide.org, details the ways green homes can benefit your health and your pocketbook, as well as reduce negative impacts on your community and the world. Green homes use, on average, 40 percent less energy and 50 percent less water than conventional homes, cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions, protecting our precious water resources and saving families money every month in utility bills. Green homes also make use of safe materials, such as paints and cleaning products that don’t emit harmful chemicals into the air our families breathe. They are built with a focus on carefully selected materials – materials that are recycled, locally produced and created from sustainably grown, renewable resources.

The Green Home Guide was developed by USGBC with the generous support and insight from Newland Communities, the nation’s largest planned community developer, with a focus on sustainable Healthy Living Systems, looking for ways to preserve the environment and restore the land to its natural state.

“Our alliance with USGBC is a perfect fit for us,” said LaDonna Monsees, President and Chief Executive Officer, Newland Communities.  “We are attempting to incorporate sustainability into everything we do and educating consumers is a top priority.  If consumers are educated and have access to all of the information they need, they will be able to make smart, healthy and sustainable decisions.” 

The newly launched Web site illustrates how families have gone green with profiles of omes that have been certified under the USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED) for Homes rating system. It offers details on the LEED for Homes system, including help in finding LEED builders and providers nearby. It includes checklists not only for new homes but also for renovating an existing home and retrofitting the home you live in now. The Green Home Guide offers fun, interactive ways to learn about the impacts of our personal habits on the world around us and provides scores of tips on how we can reduce that impact.

Increasingly, green homes are becoming a key part of the U.S. homebuilding market. They are present in all 50 states. Of the 15 million homes that have been built in the last 10 years, USGBC estimates that only about 15,000 of those homes are certified through a green home program. There are currently 350 LEED-certified homes and more than 10,000 in the LEED process. With each passing year, more and more green homes are popping up throughout the country, including both newly built homes and renovated existing homes. In 2005, just 2 percent of the country’s new home construction market was green focused. By 2010, it is anticipated that number will climb to 10 percent, according to the 2006 McGraw-Hill Construction Residential Green Building SmartMarket Report. As green homes’ popularity soars, their resale value is certain to outpace that of comparable conventional homes. In fact, the Solaire, a green residential high-rise in New York City, commands rents 10 to 15 percent higher than market rates, and in Rocklin, Calif., the LEED-certified homes in the Carsten Crossings development outsold the competition 2-to-1. The Green Home Guide will serve as a valuable resource for consumers who are in the market for a new home or those looking to integrate green building into their existing homes.