Greensboro, NC (PRWEB) August 04, 2014
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro has been named a Home Innovation NGBS Green Partner of Excellence for 2014. Being one of only six Home Innovation’s green certification program residential home builders and the only Habitat affiliate to be recognized shows the commitment Habitat Greensboro has made to providing Habitat homeowners quality, affordable, energy efficient green built homes through third-party verification to the National Green Building Standard (NGBS).
“Habitat Greensboro recognizes the importance of green building practices and the difference energy efficient homes make in the lives of Habitat homeowners. Habitat Greensboro believes in providing quality, affordable homes where families can build better lives,” said Maria Hanlin, CEO of Habitat Greensboro. As an accredited NGBS Green Residential Home Builder since 2010, Habitat Greensboro has built 55 homes that have ultimately become NGBS Green Certified by Home Innovation Research Labs and an additional five homes recently completed or currently under construction will be certified as well.
To earn certification to the National Green Building Standard, a home must meet rigorous criteria in six categories – Lot & Site Development; Resource Efficiency; Energy Efficiency; Water Efficiency; Indoor Environmental Quality; and Homeowner Education. There are mandatory practices in each category that every NGBS Green Certified home must meet, and there are a wide range of additional optional practices in each category that a builder can select based on the applicability to buyers or renters in their market. There are also mandatory point minimums in every category in order for a home to attain the next level of certification, which is a more stringent requirement than in any other national certification program.
Since January 2009, when the National Green Building Standard became the first residential green building rating system to be approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Home Innovation Research Labs has certified more than 8,000 single-family homes, over 1,000 multifamily buildings representing close to 27,000 apartments, and 22 residential land developments representing more than 1,500 lots. (For more details on current certification numbers, visit http://www.homeinnovation.com/ngbsgreenstats.) For more information on the NGBS or the Home Innovation certification program, visit http://www.homeinnovation.com/green.
About Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro
Habitat Greensboro was formed in 1987 by four Christians in response to their Habitat experience in Peru. Twenty-five years later, Habitat Greensboro has expanded to almost 5,000 volunteers and 30 staff who build, renovate and provide critical repairs to 30 to 35 homes each year, serving 433 families in Greensboro and 412 internationally.
How the Habitat Model Works
Habitat for Humanity partners with families who have steady employment for one year, participate in a thorough credit analysis, attend educational classes on budgeting and home repair and contribute 300 hours of sweat equity. Homeowners purchase their homes from Habitat at no-profit and with interest-free financing. Habitat then serves as the mortgage lender providing life of the loan 0% financing and loan servicing to Habitat homeowners.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is a global nonprofit Christian housing organization that seeks to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. Since 1976, Habitat has served more than 600,000 families by welcoming people of all races, religions and nationalities to construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions.