NAHB, ICC announce green building agreement

ORLANDO, Fla.—The two most influential groups in the home building industry and the code development and enforcement community are collaborating to bring uniformity to sustainable building practices. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the International Code Council (ICC) will undertake the development and publication of a residential green building standard, NAHB and ICC leaders announced in February at the International Builders’ Show.

NAHB has long recognized many of its members as leaders and innovators in building green homes, but their efforts were local and without any regional or national reference. Members needed clearer guidance, but wanted to maintain flexibility and be able to incorporate regional distinctions. NAHB took on this task by publishing the Model Green Home Building Guidelines in 2005, now a nationally recognized green building certification tool.

ICC has been promoting green building requirements through its widely adopted family of International Codes, which set minimum standards for energy efficiency and sustainable building practices for the construction industry and also recognized the need for a national set of standards for home builders and others wishing to voluntarily adopt "above-code" practices.