Two condominium buildings in Franklin, Tenn., have become the first to receive green multifamily certification under the National Green Building Standard. The buildings were certified by the NAHB Research Center, a subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders.

“Green certification has value to all home owners, both single-family and multifamily,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson. “Growing numbers of today’s home buyers want the benefits of a home that’s built with sustainability and energy efficiency in mind.”

Representatives of the NAHB claim that the National Green Building Standard is a scoring tool and certification protocol that assures projects have met stringent benchmarks in energy, water and resource efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and lot and site design. In addition, the builder must provide education and a manual for home owners to help ensure the home is operated and maintained to retain its green advantages.

”The National Green Building Standard provides a rigorous definition of residential green construction, whether it be for single-family homes or multi-story apartment buildings,” said Michael Luzier, president of the NAHB Research Center. "As the first and only existing national green building rating system that can be used for every type of residential project, the standard allows the Research Center to be a ‘one-stop shop’ for builders, remodelers and developers who want third-party validation for their green projects.”

The certified condo buildings also took a resource-efficient approach to materials, many of which featured recycled and green content. All unused construction materials were recycled offsite. And the development’s landscaping plan uses native plants and limits water use and runoff.