Herlong Architects

When it comes to green building, two of the gold standards are EarthCraft House and the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. A program of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association since 1999, EarthCraft is used by residential builders to create more sustainable and energy-efficient homes.

The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program focuses primarily on commercial building, although it has launched a LEED for Homes program to focus on residential building projects.

When it comes time to select an architect or a builder for your home, it’s important to question companies on their understanding and familiarity with these programs. As the popularity of going green has grown in the last few years, many companies are jumping on the green bandwagon and claiming they are green builders, sustainable companies or implementing environmentally friendly practices, when in reality, they may just be recycling office paper and little else.

Don’t be fooled by this practice of “greenwashing” and know what questions to ask your architect or builder to determine their level of skill and expertise in the areas of green design and building.

• Ask how many staff members have been trained in green design or building. Are any of them accredited through LEED or do they have other accreditations or training from reputable sources?
• Ask for examples of other green building projects they have done. Organizations like the U.S. Green Building Council maintain a list of buildings that have been certified through LEED, so do some homework online.
• Ask for references. Talk to other clients who have built sustainable homes to find out how satisfied they were with the process.
• Do your own research. There is a wealth of information for people interested in sustainable home design. Have an idea of the products and materials you want to use, such as bamboo flooring, energy-efficient HVAC units or low-VOC paint. Know what materials are available and their costs. Solar panels might sound like a great idea, but can you afford them at this point?

Learn more: Here’s a good article from EcoHome magazine on the green impact EarthCraft House has had on Atlanta.