Certification Tools

NGBS Green: Quick Start Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

What Buildings Can be NGBS Green Certified?

New and renovated buildings where people live can be certified using the NGBS. These include:

Single-family homes, townhouses, duplexes, and quads
Multifamily buildings (no height limit)
Mixed-use buildings, where the commercial/retail space is <50% of the gross floor area
Buildings being converted to residential
Boarding houses, congregate living facilities, and group homes
Hotels, motels, convents, and monasteries
Dorms, fraternities, sororities, and other student housing
Assisted living facilities and other senior housing

What is Required for NGBS Green Certification?

The NGBS is a comprehensive green certification. NGBS-compliant buildings must meet the minimum point requirements for each of the six categories of green building practices within the NGBS. Practices can be design-based, product or system based, or construction-related.

The NGBS has both Mandatory and Voluntary practices. Mandatory practices must be successfully incorporated into the building – there are no exceptions. [See Builder's Resource Guide Appendix D] Mandatory practices typically do not earn points toward certification. Voluntary practices earn points toward certification and their point values vary generally based on the difficulty and/or cost to incorporate the practice.

Buildings seeking NGBS Green certification must be inspected twice – once before drywall is installed and again after construction is complete – by a Home Innovation-accredited NGBS Green Verifier who serves as an independent third-party to verify the building's NGBS conformance. For multifamily buildings, there are NGBS practices that must be visually inspected by a Verifier in every apartment/dwelling unit pre-drywall for the building to be deemed compliant. Multi-story buildings may need more than one rough inspection visit by the Verifier depending on the drywall installation schedule.

Each time a Verifier completes a rough or final inspection, the Verifier will submit a verification report to Home Innovation for review and approval. Once Home Innovation's review is complete, the final verification report accepted, a completed client agreement is on file with the necessary proof of insurance, and the certification fee is paid, an NGBS Green certificate is issued to the client.

If all the requirement documentation and fees are paid before the final verification report is submitted, Home Innovation will typically issue the final NGBS Green certificate within a few business days.

How Does a Building Qualify for NGBS Green Certification?

The design and construction requirements for NGBS compliance are included within the NGBS which is available here for free download or purchase. An NGBS Green Verifier is required to review building plans and documentation and visually inspect any building seeking NGBS Green certification to ensure the building is compliant and meets all certification requirements. An NGBS Green certificate of compliance is issued after the Verifier submits a final and complete verification report to Home Innovation.

While Verifiers can help clients determine if their proposed building specs and plans are compliant, you can also score your building using one of the free, downloadable NGBS Green Scoring Tools available here. Please be sure to download the correct version of the Scoring Tool from the drop-down menu.

What NGBS Version Should Be Used?

Currently, buildings can seek NGBS Green certification using either the 2015 NGBS or the 2020 NGBS. Home Innovation recommends using the NGBS version that is above-code for the project location.

For a quick comparison of the energy efficiency requirements for the two versions see here for low-rise buildings and here for mid- and high-rise buildings. We also have a one-pager here that can help make the right decision between versions.

How Do I Find an NGBS Green Verifier?

Home Innovation-accredited Verifiers are listed here. And, while all Verifiers are accredited to verify all types of NGBS projects, Verifiers that have past multifamily experience are listed here.

We recommend adding a Verifier to the project team as early in the design stage as possible to streamline and simply the certification process.

What Other Documents are Necessary?

Builders or developers must complete an NGBS Green client agreement and submit proof that they hold the requisite amount of professional liability insurance. More information is available in the NGBS Green Builder's Resource Guide.

How Much Does Certification Cost?

Registration is free. Certification fees are listed here. Verifiers set and charge their own fees for verification services, which are separate from/in addition to the NGBS Green certification fees that are paid to Home Innovation.

How Long Does Certification Take?

Home Innovation is typically able to process the NGBS Green certificate within a few business days if all paperwork is complete, the certification fee is paid, and the final verification report is complete and accurate.

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NGBS Quick Start Guide