ANSI Approves NAHB's Green Building Standard

To comply with ANSI requirements, NAHB and ICC assembled a committee comprised mostly of builders, manufacturers’ representatives, and code officials. Using the 2005 NAHB Green Guidelines as a starting point, the committee solicited public comments and conducted four public hearings over two years. They broadened the standard to include site development, multifamily housing projects, and remodeling in addition to single-family homes.

ICC-700 has four compliance levels: bronze, silver, gold, and emerald. The mandatory measures in the standard largely correspond to minimum code requirements. Beyond these measures, builders must accrue points by incorporating features in six areas: site development, water conservation, energy conservation, resource conservation, indoor air quality, and homeowner education. Houses over 4,000 ft2 (370 m2) will need more points for a given certification level than smaller houses.