Thanksgiving Holiday Closure | |
Certification processing will be suspended Wednesday, November 27TH, through Friday, November 29TH. Please plan accordingly.
During this season and throughout the year, we are very thankful for the continued support of NGBS Green Partners who have selected the NGBS for their certification needs. Together, we are making a positive impact on the places that we live and people visit. We look forward to what we can accomplish together in the coming year.
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2020 NGBS 3RD Draft Standard Available for Public Comment | |
The third Draft Standard for the 2024 edition of the National Green Building Standard (NGBS) was published on October 4TH. Comments are accepted only on marked changes and sections directly affected by those changes.
Comments must be submitted by November 18, 2024. Learn more.
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That's Game! 2024 NGBS Green Verifier Retreat | The NGBS Green Team hosted nearly 40 NGBS Green MVPs – NGBS Green Verifiers and members of the NGBS Green Advisory Group – for a 3-day sports-themed retreat October 15TH-17TH at our facility in Upper Marlboro, Md. | |
Players provided important feedback on program policies, learned about the upcoming 2024 NGBS changes, and discussed new policy and financing opportunities available for certification partners. We are incredibly grateful for the valuable input offered by this group and appreciate the time and expense that attendees undertake to travel and participate. | |
Congratulations to Pam Barksdale | |
We wish Pam Barksdale, Senior Green Reviewer and training narrator, a very happy retirement after 25 years at Home Innovation!
Pam previously worked for Home Innovation's Military Division, joining the Green Team in 2020. As our primary Final Reviewer, Pam averages over 300 reviews per month. She's worked efficiently and with fantastic customer service. Congratulations Pam on a well-deserved break!
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Celebrating The Camille - Emerald-Level Certified Building in Bethesda, Md. | |
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October 24TH, Michelle attended a ribbon-cutting celebration at The Camille, a new multifamily community developed by Simpson Housing in Bethesda, Md. The Camille was the first building to earn Emerald-level certification in Montgomery County. Learn more about The Camille in our case study.
Planning a ribbon-cutting for your building(s)? Contact us to review ready-made marketing materials and invite a member of our team to present the NGBS Green certificate or plaque.
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IBS 2025 Young Green Builder Scholarship Due November 18TH | |
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is providing a scholarship opportunity for emerging young green builders to attend the International Building Show in February 2025. The NAHB Sustainability and Green Building IBS Scholarship aims to provide exposure to young emerging green builders in the construction industry to the world of high-performance homes and help them to jump-start their professional journey by attending the International Builders' Show (IBS).
The scholarship is available to young professionals and/or emerging green builders between the ages of 25 and 35 to attend the 2025 IBS in Las Vegas, Feb. 25-27. Scholarship recipients will receive $1,800 for travel expenses, and full registration to maximize their experience, with access to numerous networking events, education sessions and opportunities to see the latest products in the industry. Applications are due November 18.
Learn more and apply.
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UPCOMING CONFERENCES - Let's Meet! | |
It's conference season! We look forward to connecting with many of you at these upcoming events. Drop us a line to coordinate a time to discuss your NGBS Green experience.
Greenbuild | Nov 12-15 | Cindy
RESNET 2025 | Jan 27-30 | Katie & Pranav
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Cindy and Katie enjoyed seeing many NGBS Green Partners during the recent 2024 EEBA Summit in Salt Lake City, UT. | |
Cindy shared her career journey and advice during the opening panel – "Empowering the Workforce: Strategies for Being an Effective Ally to Women in Construction." And, in a later session, both presented on Utah's local acceptance of the 2020 NGBS for code compliance to a group of local code officials. | |
VERIFIERS NEEDED! Apply Today | |
Home Innovation Seeks New Verifier Candidates!
The NGBS Green certification program seeks new Verifiers to support the program's continued growth. If you are a green building professional - especially in Louisiana, Maryland, Utah, and the City of Chicago - interested in offering NGBS Green verification services, learn more here.
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Fannie Mae Green Financing Update | |
Effective November 1ST, Fannie Mae has implemented substantial changes to its Green Rewards and Green Building Financing programs, specifically raising the baseline building performance standards required for eligibility. These changes follow an evaluation by S&P's Second Party Opinion, which reviewed the environmental impact of Fannie Mae's offerings. S&P observed that, due to the variation in state and local building codes across the U.S., Fannie Mae's program recognized some buildings as "green" even when they only met local baseline codes.
Under the updated guidelines, new buildings must now achieve a green certification with energy efficiency at least 5% above ASHRAE 90.1-2019 standards. Existing buildings must show a 5% improvement over ASHRAE 90.1-2010. Projects currently underway may still use previous standards if they close by the end of 2024. However, all deals beginning in 2025 must adhere to the new criteria. Fannie Mae notified lenders of these changes in September.
Previously, several NGBS Green certifications qualified under Fannie Mae's program. Now only the 2020 NGBS Green +NET ZERO ENERGY certification will meet the new requirements.
Although Fannie Mae attributes these adjustments to S&P's recommendations, the NGBS Green team expressed concern that this change might create a disincentive for projects in areas with outdated building codes, as meeting the elevated standards could outweigh the benefits of preferred financing. We are disappointed that Fannie Mae continues to consider only the lowest level of each certification program for eligibility, despite the fact that higher NGBS Green certification levels already require elevated baselines that align with Fannie Mae's new standards.
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$10M Available to Advance Zero Emission Homes in New York State | |
New York's Building Better Homes – Zero Emission Homes for Healthier Communities Program incentivizes the design, construction, and marketing of new clean and resilient single-family homes and townhomes and provides training and technical support to builders and developers.
Funding is available on a first come, first served basis for projects that meet performance requirements and third-party certification criteria. NGBS Green Certification at the Emerald-level is recognized as an option alongside ENERGY STAR, ZERH, PHIUS, Passive House Institute, and ILFI Zero Energy and ILFI Zero Carbon.
Applications accepted until December 31, 2024 by 3PM ET or until funds have been exhausted. Learn more and apply.
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The federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program requires each state agency that allocates tax credits, generally called a housing finance agency, to have a Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP). The QAP sets out the state's eligibility priorities and criteria for awarding federal tax credits to housing properties. | |
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IOWA: The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) hosted a webinar on October 22ND to discuss the possibility of incorporating NGBS as a requirement within the energy standards section of the 2026 QAP. Currently, in the 2025 QAP, 2 points are awarded to projects that meet the requirements of Iowa Green Streets, and 3 points are awarded for projects that receive a HERS score of 60 or lower.
NGBS Green staff and several NGBS Green Verifiers that provide verification services in Iowa attended this webinar to advocate in favor of this change. If you would like to be included in emails regarding upcoming webinars and public comment opportunities in Iowa, contact Katie.
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NORTH CAROLINA: The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) released the first draft of the 2025 QAP. In this draft, all new construction projects must earn ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction Certification and comply with energy efficiency standards in Appendix B. NCHFA is accepting comments via email. | |
Apartments at Lawrence & Austin | |
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Location: Chicago, Ill.
Verifier: Jamie Carr, Partner, Eco Achievers
Overview: The Apartments at Lawrence & Austin is a new affordable housing development that is NGBS Green Certified at the Silver level with two four-story buildings and a total of 48 units.
The project team pursued NGBS Green Certification to satisfy the green building requirements of the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) tax credit financing. The Apartments at Lawrence & Austin features universal design elements to accommodate residents with physical challenges, outdoor recreation areas, as well as other features to support resident health and well-being. Learn more.
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Now Available for Purchase! NGBS Green Plaque, Silent Salesperson Signs, and Banners | |
NGBS Green Certified manufacturer partner, Green Dot Sign, offers new designs of the NGBS Green certification plaques and silent salesperson signs crafted with FSC-certified wood and manufactured in the U.S. Visit their site to purchase these eye-catching signs for your next certified building! | |
NGBS Green Product Spotlight | | |
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Cosmo Cabinets for kitchen and bath specializes in frameless, full-access kitchen and bath cabinets featuring shaker and slab doors with a waterproof leg system most suitable for multifamily projects. They service the multifamily, senior living, and student housing sectors.
Cosmo Cabinets' kitchen and bath cabinets are certified to the ANSI/KCMA A161.1 performance standard and earn 2020 NGBS 602.1.15.
Learn more.
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See the full directory of all NGBS Green PROs featured on our website. | |
About NGBS Green PRO
Earn your NGBS Green PRO professional designation to validate your expertise in green design, construction, and building certification.
Successfully earning the NGBS Green PRO designation demonstrates advanced understanding of the ICC 700 National Green Building Standard and the NGBS Green certification program.
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Bringing NGBS Green PRO to the Classroom
We have established a streamlined and productive process for university instructors to track student activity via our learning management system.
To find out more or offer NGBS Green PRO to a class or organization that you're involved with, contact Joanne.
Are you a student interested in green building?
Register with your ".edu" email address and use the discount code NGBSStudentEDU to reduce the course fee.
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If you know of a program that may be of interest to our NGBS Green program partners, please let us know. | |
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Every other Tuesday, 2:00 PM ET | Join us here
Open Forum for questions, chatting, and whatever you need.
- Nov 12TH
- Nov 26TH - cancelled
- Dec 10TH
- Dec 24TH- cancelled
| If you have a pressing issue that needs a more expedited response, please use our online Contact Us form. This reaches multiple Green Staff, ensuring a quick turn-around to your question or request. | |
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NGBS Green Program Feedback
Take this 1-minute survey to provide feedback on our delivery and customer service.
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