courtesy  :  eco home

green home rating

Why Green Home certification?

As more people pursue high efficiency Green home rating certifications, they become increasingly well known and trusted. Consequently, more people seek them out. Developers build smarter homes when consumers demand them, and the existence of certification programs raises the bar on the entire construction industry.

The UK’s BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) system came out as the world’s first sustainability assessment method for buildings in 1990 (BREEAM)4, but as “the prototype” it was limited in it’s scope and for the adaptability to different climates and traditional building materials. BREEAM certainly got a lot of building professionals thinking around the world.

For those who think homes built to code in the USA & Canada are good enough, remember that the building code essentially defines the worst performing home you are legally allowed to build. Depending which state or province you live in means this can be a little bit of a lottery when looking for a new home, especially if you’re a concerned environmentalist, are looking for a healthy home with a good level of interior air quality, or are simply a future homeowner who cares about lower utility bills, better comfort and protecting their biggest investment. So, minimum code is a lottery, as is buying most new homes in North America – unless that is it’s been designed, tested, certified & labeled to a particular standard of Green Home certification program.

Which Green home certification program is best?

Opinions vary on which home certification program is best, so In no particular order, here is an overview of the more common home rating systems you might encounter and an idea of what each one addresses and promotes in the pursuit of “the perfect eco-friendly Green home.”