Home Innovation Insights

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Michelle Foster
March 9, 2023

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 and NGBS Green is gaining as a rigorous and desirable alternative in local and state jurisdictions.

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Katie Dorn
February 17, 2023

NGBS Green PRO Spotlight: Kristyn Mott

Kristyn Mott is a Program Manager & sales team member at Southern Energy Management (SEM), a solar installation, green building and energy efficiency service company based in Raleigh, North Carolina. She joined the SEM team in 2020 after earning dual degrees in Business Administration and Global & Local Sustainability from Daemen University in Western New York. Along with being a NGBS Green PRO, Kristyn also holds two other professional accreditations, Fitwel Ambassador and LEED AP for Operations + Maintenance.

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Michelle Foster
February 15, 2023

2022: NGBS Green Year in Review

Now that January is in the books, we’ve all gotten used to writing “2023,” and we are coming up on the middle of the first quarter, I wanted to take some time to reflect on 2022.

Despite lots of ongoing issues related to COVID and disruptions in the supply chain, our NGBS Green certification program had a strong year. While we certified fewer total units (homes + apartments), as shown in the chart below, we certified more buildings than the year before. Certified homes (represented in yellow) also grew year over year.

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Damiyen Wilkerson
December 16, 2022

Deep Dive into Chapter 5: Lot Design, Preparation, And Development

Constructing a green building is a process that should begin well before the foundation is poured and settled. Chapter 5 of the ICC 700-2020 National Green Building Standard® (NGBS) awards and acknowledges the careful selection, design, preparation, and development of a lot intended to be the site of a certified green building.

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Pam Barksdale
December 12, 2022

Tips for a Simple & Pain-Free Final QA Review

Are you ready to submit your NGBS Green project for final review? To make the process simple and pain-free, there are a few things you need to remember.

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Pranav Phatak
December 9, 2022

WaterSense Technical Evaluation – Behind the Scenes

In February 2021, the U.S. EPA recognized Home Innovation Research Labs as a Home Certifying Organization (HCO) for the WaterSense Labeled Homes Program.

In this role, Home Innovation will administer verification and certification for the WaterSense program. Homes earning the WaterSense label must meet the water efficiency requirements using Home Innovation’s WaterSense Approved Certification Method (WACM), which is based on selected practices of the 2020 NGBS. Any home or building that has earned the WaterSense label is constructed at least 30% more efficient than standard construction.

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Katie Dorn
December 5, 2022

Quick QAP Recap: Winter 2022

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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Michelle Foster
November 29, 2022

Federal Tax Incentives for Energy Efficient New Construction and Upgrades

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 is the most comprehensive and far-reaching federal investment to combat climate change to date, and the incentives for homes and multifamily buildings contained in the legislation can help transform the way we design, build, and renovate our homes and apartments for many years to come.

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Pranav Phatak
November 28, 2022

Understanding the Threat of Radon

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, so we are spot lighting a leading cause of lung cancer that should be considered and tested during construction. In addition to energy and water efficiency and other green practices, NGBS Green certified homes have protections against radon intrusion so a home buyer can have peace of mind.

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Cindy Wasser, MBA
November 21, 2022

NGBS Green Certification Accepted by Local Jurisdictions – Examples from Chicago (IL), Delray Beach (FL), and Portland (OR)

The NGBS is a credible, consensus-based standard designed to set a meaningful definition of sustainable construction for all residential buildings in all locations across the U.S.

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