Michelle Foster
May 7, 2024
Energy Efficiency Standards Adopted for HUD- and USDA-Financed Housing
On April 26, 2024, HUD published their final energy standards determination in the Federal Register as required by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). EISA requires HUD and the USDA to set minimum energy standards for certain categories of housing financed or assisted by HUD and USDA.
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Ed Hudson, MBA
May 3, 2024
Key Facilitators for Offsite Construction Going Mainstream
Perceived barriers to offsite construction have lessened, but more efforts will need to be made to facilitate the shift. We surveyed a nationwide sample of 300 homebuilders in 2021, and 248 homebuilders in 2023 and asked them to describe in their own words what would push them to adopt offsite construction (modular, panelization, etc.).
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Katie Dorn
March 25, 2024
Top 5 Green Building Trends from IBS 2024
On February 27-29th, many Home Innovation staff, including Michelle and Katie from the NGBS Green Team, attended the 2024 International Builder’s Show (IBS) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Here are Katie’s takeaways of the Top 5 Green Building Trends from IBS 2024.
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Michelle Foster
February 20, 2024
Half a Million NGBS Green Certifications and a Look Back on 2023
2023 was NGBS Green’s strongest year yet, with over 88,000 homes certified. We saw growth in a number of program areas and we are incredibly proud of our NGBS Green Verifiers as well as the builders and developers who are committed to building better, more sustainable homes.
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Ed Hudson, MBA
January 4, 2024
Offsite Construction: The Top 6 Barriers
Over the past few years, Home Innovation has conducted numerous studies to track the adoption of offsite technologies, identify and remove specific barriers, and create solutions that enable the industry to make the shift. While perceived barriers are shrinking slightly, they are still very present. We surveyed a nationwide sample of 300 homebuilders in 2021, and 248 homebuilders in 2023 and asked them to describe in their own words what’s keeping them from adopting offsite construction (modular, panelization, etc.).
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Damiyen Wilkerson
December 21, 2023
The Ins and Outs of Grade I Insulation
Grade I insulation is a common term used widely by building professionals; however, how Grade I is defined varies considerably among building professionals. At its core, the term is meant to construe that the home’s insulation is installed properly and will be as effective as possible based on the properties of the material. Learn how to achieve proper Grade I insulation based on NGBS Green requirements.
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Elina Thapa
December 18, 2023
Office-to-Residential Conversions: Why So Complex?
As remote work continues to rise, vacant office buildings run the risk of going obsolete. The post-pandemic world has also seen a significant jump in housing prices leading to housing shortage. In this scenario, the question is clear: why not convert the empty office buildings into apartments? While this comes off as a perfect solution, there are multiple factors and several constraints to consider with such conversion projects.
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Katie Dorn
October 5, 2023
QAP Recap: Fall 2023
Home Innovation actively advocates for third-party certified, green, affordable housing by providing input for state Qualified Allocation Plan (QAPs). QAPs specify a state agency’s allocation of federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC). Most QAPs include criteria for energy efficiency and green building, and nearly 30 states specify green building certification as a requirement or point-based incentive. When third-party green certification is included within a QAP, NGBS Green Certification is typically recognized alongside other credible national green building programs. NGBS Green certification is affordable to implement, making it ideally suited for affordable housing.
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Pranav Phatak
September 29, 2023
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs): Everything You Need to Know
All our readers are probably aware of the benefits of green power by this point. Switching to green power or renewable energy from fossil fuels is one of the best ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and is a much cleaner form of energy. But what if you don’t have your own wind/hydel turbines or solar panels? How do you ensure that the energy you are receiving from the grid is coming from a green or renewable source? A Renewable Energy Certificate or a ‘REC’ would be the best alternative.
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John Peavey, PE
September 29, 2023
Building Resilient Homes: The Ultimate Guides
As National Preparedness Month comes to a close, it’s time to look ahead to how we will build in the future. Resilience has become a top concern with natural disasters becoming increasingly common and increasingly destructive. Communities looking to rebuild are focused now on creating structures that will last. Uncover the most common damages for various weather events and find out the most cost-effective ways to prevent them.
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