In the 1970s, specialized home builders began constructing resource-efficient, environmentally sensitive homes, a movement that today is called “green building.” New techniques and technologies are making it possible for the integration of green building into the mainstream market for new and remodeled homes. 

Since 1999, the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association has had a very successful green building program—EarthCraft House. The EarthCraft House program gives builders the opportunity to construct healthy, comfortable, affordable homes that lower energy and water bills and help protect the environment.

The EarthCraft House certification process follows a checklist designed to verify that each EarthCraft home addresses site planning; energy-efficient techniques and equipment; waste management; and indoor air quality. Any size and type of new or remodeled home can be an EarthCraft House, and builders and home owners have flexibility in selecting which environmental measures are best suited for their projects.

To date, more than 3,500 homes have been EarthCraft House-certified. Many subdivisions in the Atlanta area are filled with EarthCraft houses, and EarthCraft homes represent all home styles and price points. More than 150 builders in the Atlanta area are EarthCraft House-certified, and the program and its participating builders have received numerous awards and been featured in many local, regional and national publications. In 2004, EarthCraft House was named Green Building Program of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders.

For more information on the program’s requirements or to find a current list of EarthCraft House builders, visit www.earthcrafthouse.org or call 678-775-1471.