Knowledge, Skills, Experience: Hiring a Certified Green Professional
The NAHB Certified Green Professional (CGP)™ designation is a reliable way to identify builders, remodelers, manufacturers and other industry professionals who are committed to making your home green.
CGP-certified individuals understand that combining good, cost-effective building science with the most optimal products and materials can help create a home that’s healthier, more efficient and more environmentally friendly.
By undergoing training that incorporates elements of the National Green Building Standard, CGPs learn how to lower utility bills through energy-efficient designs and appliances; reduce water use through fixture selection, and lot and site design; improve indoor environmental quality via enhanced ventilation; and reduce the environmental impact by incorporating sustainable and locally sourced products.
We didn’t intend to remodel green, but Earl Williams, CGP, went through the house and introduced us to something we never considered, that there was a green aspect to remodeling. So we got an outcome that we never intended but now wouldn’t want to live without.
And because operating and maintaining a home correctly is the only way to make sure it “lives green,” the CGP is your resource for home owner education — from helping you choose the right products to advising you on how to ensure everything works the way it is designed. Your CGP can explain the hows and whys of green building and help you decide the high-performance aspects that are appropriate for your project.
CGPs must successfully complete 18 hours of classroom instruction and have at least two years of building industry experience before they earn their designation. They also are required to adhere to the CGP Code of Ethics and complete 12 hours of building industry- and green-related continuing education every three years.
CGPs with additional years of green building design and construction knowledge are known as Master CGPs. You can search the Professionals with Home Building Designations directory for available professionals in your town.
The Next Step: Certification
With a thorough understanding of the National Green Building Standard, many CGP-certified remodelers and builders encourage home owners to take the next step: home certification.
The Home Innovation Research Labs can provide you with assurances that your home was built or remodeled in compliance with the standard: a nationally approved benchmark for the design, construction and operation of green homes. This independent, third-party National Green Building Certification of new homes, additions and renovations includes two home inspections by a trained verifier.
Find a CGP... and see how green your home can be!
