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July 18, 2009

Home builders association adopting national 'green' standards

Transcript Staff Writer

OKLAHOMA CITY --?The Oklahoma State Home Builders Association is adopting new, stringent national guidelines by the National Association of Home Builders Green Building program, officials with the organization announced last week.

"We really did not want to reinvent the wheel," said Todd Booze, OSHBA's Green Building Council chairman. "Our national association has spent a lot of time and effort in establishing the guidelines for an across-the-board approach to green building. We felt that the adoption of this program for our members was the most prudent choice," Booze said.

Booze said the national homebuilder's association will soon announce it's the only green building program in the country certified by the American National Standards Institute.

This makes for a true third-party certification, setting the gold standard for all programs for consistency of product, he said.

The move is designed to bring confidence to the consumer, said Marvin Haworth, president of the Moore Home Builders Association.

The state association wanted to make sure?the OSHBA?program was not just a "green-washing," Haworth said. Green-washing means someone is claiming they build green without it truly being a comprehensive program.

Oklahoma's homebuilders are demonstrating an early commitment to the program with renovation of the organization's headquarters in Oklahoma City. Everything from the heat pump, new insulation and fluorescent lighting follows the "green" guidelines. The carpeting is even produced from a recycled product.

"I can say green building is the future, but the proof is 'what are you doing?'" said David?Ritchie, OSHBA. The renovated state headquarters demonstrates that first step.

Under the leadership of past president Mike Gilles, OSHBA researched nationwide programs to decide whether to establish its own program or adopt another.

The guidelines cover seven categories a builder is to consider and use a point system to determine what level of "green" a builder really builds. Categories are: lot design; preparation, and development; resource efficiency; energy efficiency; water efficiency; indoor environmental quality; operation, maintenance, and homeowner education; and global effect.

For more information about these guidelines, go to www.nahbgreen.org.

"Our association has many preeminent builders that have already incorporated many of the aspects of green building," Booze said. "It is up to us to educate the rest of our members and the public to recognize what green building is and isn't."

"We think that adopting the program that has a seal of approval from our national association and is ANSI certified will give the public confidence that they are truly getting a 'green' home," Booze said.

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