What is the Built Green certification in Seattle?
We’ve all heard the term “energy efficient”. Whether it be appliances or homes, everyone knows the general idea of what it means. But for a home, what does it take? LED lights? Energy efficient appliances? Let’s dive deeper on energy efficient homes and what it means to be Built Green.
Built Green is the mastermind behind the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties. This non-profit not only certifies new homes built, they work with other organizations to research ecological benefits on building green homes. Their goal is to bring more education to all home builders on sustainable material and make all new homes and remodels more environmentally friendly. They want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save water. These certifications also give homeowners rebates and incentives with the city.
In order to be certified, builders must join the Built Green family and have their projects review and approved during every step of construction. Third party reviewers will visit and document during construction. These reviewers are all part of the Master Builders Association and works for various companies that specialize in sustainable and energy efficient products. They scrutinize every material used, using a long checklist in order to satisfy requirements needed to meet specifications of Green level. They also review ground disturbance and habitat protection.
Built Green offers three levels of certification. There is 3-star, 4-star, and 5-star. Each level is given a minimum number of points that must be met, and points are given based on the site, water, environment, energy efficiency, health quality, materials, and maintenance. They even give points for homeowner education, which is important to maintain efficiency. Each category is broken up into sections and the rating require a minimum number of points needed in each section in order to earn the rating. For example, in order to earn a 4-star rating, the home must meet all of the 3-star requirements and a minimum of 60 points in sections pertaining to the site, water, energy efficiency, air quality, and materials. The total points must be at least 400. 5-star rating is a minimum of 600 points.
Each star rating also corresponds with Washington State building codes. All ratings are above the current energy and building code requirements. 3-star is 10% above, 4-star is 20% above, and 5-star is 30% above plus they must be pre-wired for solar installations, should the homeowner choose to install.
Net zero, or Emerald Star, is a designation that can be given along with the star rating. A Net Zero home is a property that nets zero energy consumption. This is done by ensuring the home produces enough renewable energy to equal the energy consumed in the home. Solar panels and heat pumps are common for net zero homes.
There are a few well established Seattle builders that only build green homes. Most notably is Green Canopy, a for-profit builder who started building specifically to lessen the negative impact of climate change. In 2018, Green Canopy has built 5 net zero homes, 20 4-star, and 3 5-star Built Green homes. One thing that sets Green Canopy apart is their dedication to homeowner education. They take special care for homeowners to fully understand their home and their impact on the environment.
Another Seattle builder is Dwell Development. Founded in 2005, Dwell strives to build only the most energy efficient homes in the world. They are the only builder in Washington State that builds exclusively 5-star Built Green homes. Dwell focuses on sustainability and using reclaimed materials, lessening the need to add to our landfills. They even built Seattle’s first Emerald Star, or Net Zero, home in 2015.