Spotlight Top Features Consumers Seek with NGBS Green+ Badges
This post has been updated.
Builders and developers can now earn special recognition through Home Innovation Research Labs for NGBS Green Certified homes that "go above and beyond" in certain areas of green practice.
A home or building can earn one or more NGBS Green+ badges based on the specific features that are included and verified on site by a third-party professional. Available badges include:
- Net Zero Energy
- Resilience
- Smart Home
- Universal Design
- Wellness
- Zero Water
NGBS Green+ is designed to offer additional recognition through a streamlined experience. Homes and multifamily buildings seeking NGBS Green certification under the ICC-700 2020 National Green Building Standard® (NGBS) are eligible to earn NGBS Green+ badges. The criteria for all badges is drawn from the 2020 NGBS, so that building practices that contribute toward NGBS Green certification may also contribute toward badge achievement.
The intent of NGBS Green+ is to clearly spotlight the specific features sought by today's consumers that may not be as readily apparent through marketing of a third-party green certification.
"NGBS Green+ offers builders another tool to further distinguish themselves from their competition. This tool is particularly important for builders and developers offering specialty products in competitive regional markets," said Troy Johns, owner of Urban Northwest Homes in Vancouver, Wash., and chair of the NGBS Green Advisory Group.
"While NGBS Green certification is a broad designation that showcases that a home is higher-performing across multiple areas, NGBS Green+ drills down further and helps builders tell the specific story of their homes' unique features, with the consumer promise that comes from Home Innovation's third-party verification and review," said Michelle Foster, vice president of sustainability at Home Innovation Research Labs. Builders and developers earning the NGBS Green+ badges for their homes and buildings are eligible to take advantage of new marketing resources that highlight unique project achievements, including new certification marks, customized NGBS Green certificate, and building plaques.
To learn more about the NGBS Green+ badge program, visit homeinnovation.com.
The 2020 NGBS is available for purchase or free PDF download.
Latest from NAHBNow
Material Costs
Oct 30, 2025
Senate Approves 3 Resolutions to Limit President’s Tariff AuthorityThe Senate has voted to approve three resolutions that would rescind President Trump’s authority to impose tariffs on foreign imports based on national security considerations.
Sponsored Content
Oct 30, 2025
Avoiding Lender Failure: 4 Costly Lessons from a Real Builder's StoryFinancing isn’t just about funding — it’s about trust. Even experienced teams can get blindsided when the wrong lender sits across the table. Here are four costly lessons every spec builder should learn before signing their next loan.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Oct 30, 2025
Which Local Markets Track National Trends the Most: 2024 Single-Family MAIThe National Association of Home Builders developed the Single-Family Market Association Index (MAI) to measure how closely single-family building permits in metro areas follow national patterns. By comparing local and national trends, the MAI helps industry leaders and forecasters better understand and predict housing market activity.
Economics
Oct 29, 2025
The Fed Cuts amid Partly Cloudy ConditionsWith the government shutdown limiting the quantity of economic data available to markets and policymakers, the central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) enacted a widely anticipated 25 basis point cut for the short-term federal funds rate.
Economics
Oct 28, 2025
Home Price Growth SlowsHome prices in August grew at the lowest annual rate in over two years, according to the recent release of the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Home Price Index (seasonally adjusted – SA).