Enhance Your Next Land Development Project with the NGBS
The newly released ICC 700-2025 National Green Building Standard (NGBS) defines the benchmark for sustainable residential construction, renovation and land development. Not only does it provide best practices for the design, planning, construction and certification of land development projects, it also evaluates community design, infrastructure and environmental preservation independent of the actual buildings constructed.
The program offers four rating tiers specific to site design and land development ranging from One-Star to Four-Star based on implemented green practices. For residential and mixed-use land developments, the standard is evaluated through a comprehensive scoring and inspection protocol.
To achieve certification, a land development project must implement practices in five core categories:
1. Site Design and Layout
- Density & Walkability: Incentivizes higher-density developments and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure that encourage active transportation.
- Open Space: Promotes the integration and protection of natural spaces, conservation areas, and recreational amenities.
- Brownfield Redevelopment: Awards points for developing on previously contaminated or underutilized commercial sites to limit urban sprawl.
2. Environmental Protection
- Erosion Control: Requires rigorous stormwater and erosion controls during the land clearing and grading phases
- Habitat Preservation: Protects existing mature trees, wetlands, and critical wildlife habitats from mass grading.
- Light Pollution: Mandates or encourages exterior lighting that reduces off-site glare and preserves the night sky.
3. Resource & Waste Efficiency
- Material Sourcing: Prioritizes the use of recycled or locally sourced aggregates and materials for roads and sidewalks.
- Construction Waste: Incentivizes the recycling of land-clearing debris (e.g., turning cleared timber into mulch or composting) rather than sending it to a landfill.
4. Water & Infrastructure
- Stormwater Management: Promotes low-impact development practices such as bioswales, rain gardens, and permeable paving to reduce runoff.
- Efficient Irrigation: Requires water-efficient landscaping and irrigation designs for common areas or encourages the use of captured rainwater and greywater.
5. Community & Wellness
- Transit Access: Awards points for developments located near existing public transportation networks.
- Recreational Amenities: Encourages features that promote physical activity, such as walking trails, bike paths, and community gardens.
- Smoking Prohibitions: Awards points for implementing community-wide smoking bans in common areas to improve indoor and outdoor air quality.
By implementing these practices, land developments can reduce environmental impacts, conserve resources and create healthier living environments. Developers may also qualify for financial advantages like tax credits and grants. Additionally, energy-efficient designs and water-saving systems can lower utility costs for residents over time leading to long-term cost savings.
Land developer and NGBS Green Pro Bill Sanderson appreciates the flexibility the standard offers. “Every site presents its own unique challenges, and the NGBS provides a clear framework that enables development teams to deliver truly sustainable, high‑performance community design—whether the project is infill, suburban, or rural,” said Sanderson, who also serves as Chair of the Healthier Homes & Communities subcommittee.
The NGBS is a great tool for builders and developers to utilize to meet sustainability goals for their residential portfolio. To learn more about the specific requirements, review the official Land Development Certification guidelines or download the full Land Development Flyer. To learn more and download the standard go to nahb.org/ngbs.