Thinking Globally, Building Locally

(This article was originally published in the November '10 issues of Merchant Magazine and Building Products Digest.)

The green building movement is rooted in big thinking, but the USGBC is beginning to think small and local. Their mission is to transform the built environment – that’s thinking big with over 125 million buildings in the US, most of which are energy and water hogs. Considering that buildings account for a third of the US carbon footprint, success is of global importance. After over a decade of leading the commercial building revolution, USGBC has become a transformative force with a valuable brand. But there still remain 120 million less than efficient residential buildings, which is where action must now be focused. This is why the USBGC is putting considerable effort into boosting residential green building in concert with local leaders, which is good news for LBM dealers.

In residential building, there was already a green building movement well under way by the time LEED for Homes arrived on the scene two years ago. Local and regional residential programs have existed for years in progressive cities like Austin, Texas, whose Austin Energy Green Building program was the first in the nation. LEED for Homes shares many similarities with these programs, even though each reflects its own local conditions, both in terms of content and approach. In addition, there are alternatives to LEED, including EnergyStar, NAHB’s program, the new, (to the US,) PassivHaus approach, the International Living Building Institute, the NauHaus Institute, and a host of natural building organizations.

Given these realities, I really like the USGBC’s collaborative approach. They recognize that they’re part of a budding community of green building leaders and that there’s more than one way to build a green home. So, rather than attempt to impose their rating system, they launched the LEED for Homes Affiliate Program with the pragmatic aim of forging working relationships with many green building organizations and local green building leaders, thereby promoting the broader movement in the context of local needs.

“We’re market oriented and are looking to support and promote what’s working in each community,” Nate Kredich, USGBC’s VP for Residential Market Development, told me recently. For example, they’ve been working with North Dallas Green Built and the NAHB, developing educational materials for production builders, dealers and distributors. They’re even helping to produce a “mini GreenBuild” in the area. (By the way, USGBC’s GreenBuild is November 17-19.) In Minnesota, they’ve joined a coalition with Minnesota GreenStar, with its new-build and remodeling rating systems, and Minnesota Green Communities, which advocates for healthy, affordable housing. They’ve also launched the Green Home Guide (www.greenhomeguide.com), a website to help connect homeowners, builders and dealers with trusted information, and with each other.

In terms of economic clout, green residential building is only just finding its feet and, in any case, current economic conditions have strangled most building of any kind. But when homes start to be built again, it’s likely a great percentage will be guided by a national or regional program. “We recognize that for green home building to scale rapidly, it’s important that everyone in the value chain understand the rating systems and are well-connected with their local green builders,” said Kredich, emphasizing the value of education. They’re reaching out to support interested independent dealers, like Shaw Stewart in Minneapolis, as well as the big chains. With many more new green residential products and materials coming to market in 2011, it should be easier for proactive dealers and distributors to rise with the green home building market. If that’s true, then the USGBC’s big thinking could very soon be taking root in a community near you.