Earthcraft House Named 2008 Green Builder Program Of The Year

July 17, 2008

EarthCraft House, a leading residential green building program, was recently named the 2008 Green Home Builder Program of the Year at the 10th Annual National Association of Home Builders National Green Building Conference in New Orleans.

The award recognizes EarthCraft House’s important contribution to the housing industry through its voluntary green building program, builder training workshops and third-party verification; EarthCraft House also received this same award in 2004.

The EarthCraft House program was developed by the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (HBA) and Southface with support from government and industry leaders. Since the program’s inception in 1999, more than 5,000 homes in the Southeast have earned EarthCraft House certification.

"The EarthCraft House program creates a mechanism for HBA members and other building professionals to meet consumers’ growing interest in green building while insuring that healthy, quality homes are being built and renovated in our community," explains David Ellis, HBA executive vice president. “We’re very proud of the program’s success.”

EarthCraft House’s point-based rating system measures a home’s performance to achieve greater energy and water efficiency than a typical home, and it goes even further to combine the use of sustainable materials and best building practices. To earn the certification, a home must meet specific guidelines and performance standards that include an energy-efficient building envelope and systems; high-performance windows; properly sized heating and cooling equipment; and energy-efficient lighting and appliances. When a home meets the required standards, it achieves EarthCraft House and ENERGY STAR® certification at the same time.

EarthCraft homes are durable, healthy, comfortable and, on average, 27 percent more energy-efficient as compared to a typical new home. An EarthCraft House could save 23 percent on utility costs, even more on reduced repairs and maintenance, and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Visit www.earthcrafthouse.com for more information.

Since 1978, Southface has encouraged responsible solutions for environmental living. Driven by the Southeast’s growing need to save energy and preserve our natural resources, Southface has successfully fostered unique partnerships with government, business and nonprofit organizations. Southface programs and publications reach design and construction professionals, home owners, government officials and others to promote sustainable homes, workplaces and communities through education, research, advocacy and technical assistance. Visit www.southface.org for more information.

About Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association:
The Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (HBA) is a 3,800-member, not-for-profit trade association affiliated with the Home Builders Association of Georgia and the National Association of Home Builders. The HBA is the second largest local homebuilders association in the nation and is dedicated to promoting, protecting and preserving home ownership by maintaining the housing industry as a viable economic force in the Atlanta area. The official charity of the HBA is HomeAid Atlanta, a non-profit organization that builds and renovates transitional housing for metro Atlanta homeless children, women and men. Visit www.atlantahomebuilders.com for more information.