238 | Business World Magazine |
October 2013
Manager for Green Building Kevin Morrow
says there have been more than 24,000 hous-
ing projects which have achieved certifica-
tion since the standard was introduced, yet
more than 55,000 projects “are in the pro-
cess” of being certified.
Morrow says based on feedback the
NAHB has gleaned frommember surveys, it
anticipated that by 2016, more than a third
of new housing construction will potential-
ly conform to the NAHB’s green standard.
Morrow says builders, as well as homeown-
ers, are increasingly seeking means to better
understand the benefits of green building,
which makes sense because sustainability
has come to mean much more than it did in
years past when it was viewed as simply be-
ing environmentally friendly.
Today, Morrow says sustainability
speaks not only to eco-sensitivity, but also
the way a house performs. “Green, in terms
of the lower environmental impact, isn’t al-
ways the goal... the goal is performance,”
says Morrow. For homeowners, improved
performance has proven to provide greater
durability, greater quality and greater eco-
nomic benefits born from lower utility costs
achieved from the conservation of energy
and water. “There’s real premium associated
with a green home versus a conventional
