How HBAs Can Utilize NAHB’s Sustainability and Green Building Expertise
NAHB staff provides technical assistance to state and local home builders associations (HBAs) by monitoring, reviewing and commenting on regulatory and policy proposals related to energy efficiency and green building.
HBAs are encouraged to contact NAHB for help taking a closer look at local and state proposed policy or regulations that could impact their members, such as:
- Climate action plans,
- Green certification program criteria for incentive programs,
- Net zero goals,
- Solar mandates/incentives,
- Tap fees, and
- Community resilience plans.
If a state or municipality is considering any of these types of regulatory or program changes, NAHB can help HBAs propose questions and issues to consider asking local policymakers to ensure the home-building industry is represented.
Recently, NAHB reviewed proposed changes to green building requirements and provided a technical analysis for both Asheville, N.C., and Austin, Texas, at their request. Staff provided issue-specific feedback to each respective HBA to enable its staff to advocate on its members’ behalf through submitted written comments.
“I appreciate NAHB’s Sustainability and Green Building team supporting [the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin] to review and provide comments regarding the recent revision of the Austin Energy Green Building rating system,” noted Ray Tonjes, owner of Ray Tonjes Builder, Inc. and chair emeritus of the NAHB Sustainability & Green Building Subcommittee. “I was at the first organizational meeting for this program and have been working with it for almost 30 years; I know how important it is to ensure that both the requirements and options in these programs are technically sound, achievable and affordable.”
“HBA staff must be jacks of all trades, and having the technical expertise of NAHB staff in areas such as green building to support their work is invaluable,” he added. Staff also monitor green, high-performance proposed changes to requirements and incentives in the financing arena, and offer technical assistance to HBAs to help them advocate for positions that best serve their members.
For example, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) provide an opportunity for multifamily developers to obtain equity financing for the development of affordable housing. Developers qualify for the credits based on the requirements and incentives in state Qualified Allocation Plans (QAPs).
&lqquo;NAHB’s Sustainability and Green Building team helps us help our members by monitoring new proposals related to green building in QAPs across the country,” explained Jeff Kolakowski, CEO of the New Jersey Builders Association (NJBA). “While NJBA frequently submits comments to the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) on any proposed changes to the QAP, NAHB recently alerted us about a public comment period regarding potential net-zero energy amendments for the 2021 New Jersey QAP. By leveraging NAHB’s expertise, we were able to submit a robust set of comments to the NJHMFA advocating for our members’ interests.”
What local or state green building issues are you facing? Contact NAHB Sustainability & Green Building staff for assistance. To stay current on high-performance residential building, follow NAHB’s Sustainability and Green Building efforts on Twitter.
Latest from NAHBNow
Oct 23, 2025
IBS 2026 Exhibit Home Aims for Groundbreaking Energy-Efficiency RatingFor anyone curious about how far today’s innovative building products can take a home’s performance, The New American Home 2026 is the must-see showcase at the upcoming Builders’ Show, taking place Feb. 17–19.
Oct 22, 2025
NAHB Generates Enthusiasm for the Trades During the Big BuildNAHB recently introduced thousands of students to the skilled trades during The Big Build event at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.
Latest Economic News
Oct 20, 2025
Non-Conventional Financing for New Home Sales Loses Ground in 2024Nationwide, the share of non-conventional financing for new home sales accounted for 31% of the market per NAHB analysis of the 2024 Census Bureau Survey of Construction (SOC) data. This is 1.7 percentage point lower than the 2023 share of 32.4%. As in previous years, conventional financing dominated the market at 69.3% of sales, higher than the 2023 share of 67.6%.
Oct 17, 2025
Better Growth, Larger Deficits: CBO Fiscal OutlookThe Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is a key nonpartisan score keeper that measures the effects of policy changes by the Federal Government. With several policy changes since January of this year, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), stricter immigration, and higher tariffs, the CBO updated its economic projections through 2028.
Oct 16, 2025
Amid Market Challenges, Builder Expectations Rise in OctoberEven as builders continue to grapple with market and macroeconomic uncertainty, sentiment levels posted a solid gain in October as future sales expectations surpassed the 50-point breakeven mark for the first time since last January.