The Green Built Home program offers comprehensive checklists and credible third party verification to certify homes and recognize builders and developers who commit to superior environmental performance. More than 25,000 homes and multi-family units have been built to the Wisconsin Green Built Home standard and the program was selected as the National Green Building Program of the Year in 2006.
Many WHEDA Low Income and Habitat for Humanity projects across the state are Green Built Home certified. The program has educated many tens of thousands in Wisconsin through events as well as television, radio and print articles.
How can a Green Built Home lower your energy bills?
All certified homes must either comply with Focus on Energy New Homes program standards Home standards or exceed Wisconsin residential energy codes by at least15%. Either option offers homeowners considerable energy savings. In addition to many other features builders and home buyers may select for each home, all installed appliances must either be ENERGY STAR labeled or score in the top 50% of the Energy Guide.
How can a Green Built Home lower your water bills?
During warm summer months, a household can expend as much as 50% of its water budget on watering landscape plantings. The program recommends the use of site-appropriate native plants in a large portion of the landscape planting. Native plants are adapted to Wisconsin's climate and generally require less water and maintenance than some of the commonly used ornamental plants. Large native plantings are encouraged, though if any of the yard is to be planted with turf grasses, seed mixes such as the 'low-mow' and 'no-mow' varieties are recommended. The program also recommends the use of low-flow water fixtures in bathrooms and kitchens and water-efficient appliances, such as horizontal-axis clothes washers.
How can Green Built Homes maintain improved indoor air quality?
Poor indoor air quality can affect the health of a home's inhabitants, potentially aggravating existing health conditions such as asthma and allergies. Indoor air quality is influenced by a variety of factors including moisture, ventilation, off-gassing building materials and high volumes of airborne particles.
Green Built Home Buyer's Guide (pdf)
It takes time to research the latest green building design, technologies and materials. Deciding which measures are the most important can be a difficult task. GBH provides this priority ranking of measures to reduce the negative impacts of homebuilding to you, your family and the environment.
Homeowner's Handbook (pdf)
The Homeowners Handbook will help you to continue to reap the benefits of your Green Built Home throughout its lifetime by suggesting ways to practice resource-efficient living while serving as a model for others in your community. This Handbook has tips on how to lower your home's operating cost, maintain good indoor air quality, protect the environment around your home, and conserve energy and other natural resources.
On the PayPal Donation page, please indicate Green Built Home as the program to which you would like to donate by selecting "Add special instructions to the seller."