APRIL 2023

Practical information and resources for NGBS Green Certification program partners. Find out more about the program, its tools & resources, and available marketing materials online. If you were forwarded this message or do not receive Insider Update regularly and would like to, sign up online.

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NEWS

Mark Your Calendars! Save The Dates!

Office Hours


The NGBS Green Team hosts office hours from 2-3 PM ET every other Tuesday. Open forum; come ask questions or chat about issues.


The next Office Hours are scheduled for:

  • April 4th
  • April 18th
  • May 2nd
  • May 16th
  • May 30th


Here is the link to join.

Protecting the First Side of the Home with Effective Foundation Vapor Barriers Webinar (co-hosted with Stego)

April 6th, 2023 | 3:00-4:00PM EDT


This webinar will provide an in-depth look at the cause and effects of below-slab moisture and vapor concerns in homes and considerations for incorporating effective, durable protection. With a science-based, educational approach, the presentation will provide a tailored look at the natural movement of water vapor, soil-gas (like radon) and subterranean termites into the first side of a home and the importance of taking the ground permanently out of play regardless of a home's location or foundation type. Even more, the presentation will walk through the material innovations and evolving residential industry standards and guidelines that influence the selection and installation of foundation vapor control systems. This includes new requirements for the vapor retarder beneath concrete floors in the 2021 International Residential Code (IRC). There will be a particular focus on the role that effective vapor protection has on the long-term performance of homes, including energy efficiency, human health, durability, and reduced ownership costs/impacts – and the value it offers to homebuilding professionals and their customers.


AIA CE: 1 LU/HSW Credit (Course #: RESIDENTIALVB1)


ICC CE: 0.1 CEU (Course #: 32560)


Register here.

City of Delray Beach, FL Green Building Ordinance + NGBS Green Overview Presentation

April 7, 2023 | 1:00-2:00PM EDT


For Earth Month, the City of Delray Beach is hosting a series of four sessions that address accepted green building certification options included in the City’s Green Building Ordinance. Each session will have a brief introductory segment on the City’s green building ordinance, which will take effect later this year on November 1, 2023.The first session, hosted on April 7th, will focus on the NGBS. 


Join here.

Buildxact and the ABC Collaborative Webinar

Tap the Opportunity: Buildxact Offers Easy Process to Get Rebates and Go Greener

April 11, 2023 | 2:00-3:00PM EDT


Now is the time to tap into the millions of dollars allocated to greener, more efficient homes. Join Buildxact and the ABC Collaborative, an initiative administered by RMI, ADL Ventures, Passive House Institute US, Association for Energy Affordability and VEIC with support from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), to learn about this opportunity. Join this webinar to learn how to tap into the millions of rebates offered by federal and state governments for more efficient home design and improvements.


Register here.

APA Webinar: Wood Structural Panels as an Air Barrier

April 18, 2023 | 1:00-2:00PM EDT


This webinar describes the advantages of using continuous wood structural panel (WSP) wall sheathing as part of an air barrier and air barrier system. Participants will learn the different characteristics and installation methods used in residential markets and see examples of successful and unsuccessful systems with side-by-side comparisons. Participants will also learn about helpful APA resources that reiterate the basis for testing and code compliance, along with cost and energy tradeoffs. Eligible for AIA and ICC credit.


Register here.

High Performance Home Tour 

Jointly presented by the HBA of Durham, Orange, & Chatham Counties and Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County

April 29-30, 2023 | 12:00-5:00PM EDT | North Carolina


Tour green-certified homes and learn about their many features. The following NGBS Green Partners will open their doors during the tour:




Learn more here.

Fannie Mae Launches 2023 Multifamily Energy and Water Survey


Fannie Mae has launched its 2023 Multifamily Energy and Water Survey, a national effort to collect and analyze whole property energy and water consumption and costs from 2022, together with property-specific characteristics, for a wide range of multifamily properties, and responses will be accepted through June 30th. The U.S. EPA will use anonymized data to update the 1-100 ENERGY STAR® Score and EPA's Water Score for Multifamily Housing, which provide transparency into how a multifamily building's energy or water consumption compares to similar multifamily buildings in the United States.


Learn more and complete the survey.

NGBS Green PRO

Calling all industry professionals!

Earn your NGBS Green PRO professional designation to validate your expertise in green design, construction, and building certification.

Congratulations to our latest Green PROs

Jack Oldis

Development Property Manager

Brown Investment Properties

Lance Ramsey

Vice President, Director of Development,

Brown Investment Properties

About Green PRO


Successfully earning the NGBS Green PRO designation demonstrates advanced understanding of the ICC 700 National Green Building Standard (NGBS) and the NGBS Green certification program.


Training for the designation – consisting of four self-paced modules, each with its own mastery check – is live and available 24/7 at the NGBS Green Pro Training site. Completion of a single NGBS Green PRO module earns 1LU Elective from AIA or 0.1 CEU credit from ICC; completion of the entire course earns 4LU Elective from AIA or 0.4 CEU credit from ICC.


Learn more and get started today – download the Overview document and discuss the benefits of this professional development opportunity with your supervisor and colleagues.


NGBS Green PRO Discounts Available!

Student Discount. You Asked; We Delivered.

Are you a student interested in green building?

Utilize our discount code to reduce the training fee to $100: NGBSStudentEDU.

Register with your ".edu" email address.


NGBS Green PRO Directory

All NGBS Green PROs are now featured on our website. See the directory

POLICY

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Seeks Feedback on Potential Updates to its Green Guides for Environmental Marketing Claims


The FTC is considering potential updates and changes to the Green Guides for the Use of Environmental Claims, which help marketers avoid making environmental marketing claims that are unfair or deceptive. The FTC has requested comments on the continuing need for the guides, their economic impact, their effect on the accuracy of various environmental claims, and their interaction with other environmental marketing regulations. Public comments are accepted through April 24, 2023.


Home Innovation will comment on how the Green Guides have helped consumers identify and compare green homes since its release in 2012. Despite the impact that the Green Guides have had on our industry, misleading marketing claims still exist. Especially in a changing market with new focus on carbon and emissions reductions, the Green Guides are needed more than ever.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), signed into law by President Joe Biden on August 16, 2022, includes significant investment in energy efficiency and clean energy technology. For the next several months, we will feature an element of the legislation related to the built environment.

DOE Releases Administrative and Legal Requirements for IRA and

Home and Energy Rebates


The U.S. DOE posted an Administrative and Legal Requirements Document that details how states may access funds to hire staff, prepare their workforce, and engage with constituents ahead of the forthcoming Home Energy Rebates.

Upcoming Affordable Housing Events

Louisiana Rental Restoration and Development Program Technical Assistance Workshops

Multiple dates | Multiple locations throughout March and April


The Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC), through a partnership with the Office of Community Development, announced a $32 million Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Rental Restoration and Development Program (RRDP). The RRDP program supports the repair, reconstruction, or new construction of residential rental units in qualified areas impacted by Hurricanes Laura, Delta, and Ida and the May 2021 floods.


LHC will host a series of technical assistance workshops to provide a high-level overview of the program and discuss eligibility criteria with interested applicants.


Further details on eligibility and program requirements can be found on their website. Review the RRDP NOFA here or, for more information, contact rrdp@lhc.la.gov.

2023 North Dakota Multifamily Housing Forum

April 12-13, 2023 | Bismark, ND


The Multifamily Housing Forum provides North Dakota Housing Finance Agency's (NDHFA) partners with the opportunity to discuss challenges associated with provided affordable rental housing in our rural state and learn about available solutions.


Learn more and register.

2023 Montana Housing Partnership Conference

May 15-17, 2023 | Helena, MT and Livestream


The Montana Housing Partnership is a group of housing professionals from across the state. This conference is a well-established and highly anticipated event for affordable housing organizations, housing developers, government agencies and staff, and other housing stakeholders.


Learn more and register.

QAP Watch

The following states have or will revise their Qualified Allocation Plans (QAP) for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. The summaries below indicate if NGBS Green certification is incentivized and provide information on how to submit comments or stay informed. If you're aware of any current QAP activity in your state or locale not listed here or included in our online QAP Round-Up, please contact us.

WEST VIRGINIA: The West Virginia Housing Development Fund published a proposed West Virginia 2023 and 2024 Allocation Plan. The QAP would award 15 competitive points when the developer attends green building training. No third-party green building programs are recognized. Comments were accepted through mid-March.

PRODUCTS

In each issue of Insider Update, Home Innovation profiles products that can help builders achieve points toward NGBS Green Certification. To browse all NGBS Green Certified products, visit the online directory.

Product Spotlight

Waterless No-Flush Urinals


Since 1991, Waterless Co has been recognized as a leader in non-water urinals by offering a large line-up of cost-effective options. Waterless Co No-Flush Urinals are perfect for high- and low- traffic facilities, as well as home installation. Installation of a Waterless Co No-Flush Urinals earns 12 points under 802.5.

RESOURCES

Maryland & Chicago Say NGBS Green = 2021 IECC for Code Compliance

The 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) provides an alternative compliance option for energy efficiency programs deemed to be equivalent. The State of Maryland and the City of Chicago both recently utilized this provision to recognize NGBS Green certifications as an alternative.


Read Michelle’s blog to learn how alternative compliance options benefit builders and local jurisdictions.

NGBS Green PRO Spotlight: Kristyn Mott

The NGBS Green PRO Spotlight is an ongoing blog series that highlights the diverse professional backgrounds of NGBS Green PROs. In this blog, learn about Kristyn Mott, a Program Manager at Southern Energy Management.

2022: NGBS Green Year in Review

2022 was another strong year for NGBS Green. While we certified fewer total units (homes + apartments), we certified more buildings than the year before. Certified homes grew from the year prior. Read Michelle’s blog for more reflects on this past year.

ICYMI – Celebrating Women in Green Construction

This past month, we celebrated Women in Construction by profiling 10 female superstars involved with NGBS Green. Read their inspiring bios and share with a young professional in your life.

Quick Links to Marketing Materials & Guidance One-Pagers

Recently, we've been posting case studies on some unique and exemplary NGBS Green Certified projects. If you haven't checked them out yet, be sure to visit our Resources page – there are several there already and we're adding more each month. While on the page, be sure to check out the wide range of guidance documents, comparisons, and other helpful resources we've created for our NGBS Green Partners, including:



And you can also find LOTS of great resources by visiting the following pages – #BookmarkWorthy:


EVENTS

As we strive to keep up with events of interest around the country, we welcome your input!

Know of a program that may be of interest to our NGBS Green program partners? Let us know.


Upcoming events:

Continuing Education

If you or a client are interested in scheduling virtual or in-person training on the 2020 NGBS, contact us about scheduling a Lunch-n-Learn! We have AIA and ICC-approved programs that we'd be happy to deliver.

WE WELCOME YOUR OPINION

Share Your NGBS Green Program Feedback

Take this 1-minute survey and let us know what you think of our delivery of NGBS Green certification and our customer service.


Give Us Your AXIS Feedback

Complete a 1-minute NGBS Green AXIS Feedback Survey.

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