What is Built Green?
Built Green Santa Barbara is an environmental building program that distinguishes and promotes resource efficient development, design, and construction. Green building practices go beyond energy and water conservation to incorporate environmentally sensitive site planning, resource efficient building materials and superior indoor air environmental quality. Click here for more information >>
Who is Built Green?
Built Green is a network of architects, builders, developers, subcontractors, suppliers, lenders, and real estate agents working together to improve quality of life in Santa Barbara . The Built Green program accomplishes this by using a menu of options that provide quality homes which, compared to standard homes and buildings, are more cost-effective to own and operate, healthier, safer, and more protective of our beautiful south coast environment. Built Green is a Program of the Santa Barbara Contractors Association education foundation, inc. a 501c3 non profit corporation.
What Are The Top Ten Reasons to Buy a Built Green Home?
Contractors in California already build to some of the toughest energy, air quality, storm water management, and water efficiency standards in the nation. Based on choices by the builder and homeowner, Built Green™ goes beyond even these standards to give you added value, added peace of mind. Click here for more information >>
How Does Built Green Work?
Building projects are qualified using a Built Green checklist organized into six categories of environmentally friendly action items. Currently there is one checklist for remodel. The single family, communities, and commercial checklists are under development. Builders choose and use one of the checklists prior to construction to determine which features to include in the project and to track progress. When construction is complete, the builder sends a signed copy of the checklist to the SBCA, certifying that the building identified in the project enrollment form contains the identified features. Based upon that builder certification, and after reviewing the application, the SBCA will award the appropriate Certificate of Merit indicating that the project has received a 1-, 2-, or 3- Star rating. Features included in the Built Green checklists include:
Green Building Codes
Site & Water Protection
Energy Efficiency
Health and Air Quality
Materials Efficiency
Environmentally Responsible Home and building Ownership
What Are the Built Green Checklists?
Each Built Green checklist provides the framework for builders or developers to qualify homes, communities or commercial projects (checklist for commercial, single family homes and communities is under developement) for inclusion in one of the four programs. There are several important areas that are addressed in the checklists:
Site and Water
The Built Green program places a high priority on water conservation and quality. The action items include practices to conserve water, protect natural features, prevent erosion, promote and to otherwise improve water quality.
Energy Efficiency
A Built Green home or building can be designed and constructed to maximize energy savings by reducing heat loss through a combination of design elements and building practices, thereby making the home or building more economical to operate.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality can be improved through a series of practices and features that reduce indoor pollutants such as installing low toxic finishes.
Material Selection
Builders use design and material selections that can result in conserving limited resources. Using recycled content products reduces the use of "virgin" materials. Using current waste minimizing practices can contribute to the overall efficiency of the project. Encouraging builders to use locally manufactured products also reduces the energy used to get them to the job site.
How Is The Certification Process Handled?
The Built Green program is a voluntary self-certification program. The program requires builders or developers to follow a specific set of criteria to attain status as a "Built Green" home, community or building. Beyond these standards, builders will earn a rating based on a point system. After reviewing the completed checklist provided by the builder, the Santa Barabara Contractors Association will issue a 1-, 2-, or 3-Star rating for the project. 1-, 2-,and 3-Star levels are self-certifying with the builders signature required as confirmation that items on the checklist have been completed.
Are There Other Programs of this Type in the Country?
Successful programs of this nature are hosted in Denver, Colorado, Atlanta, Georgia, Portland, Oregon, Wisconsin, Scottsdale, Arizona, Austin, Texas, Florida, Hawaii, Vermont and in Washington.
When Is The Built Green Logo Displayed?
The Built Green logo is assurance that your builder has certified that your new home or building contains selected Built Green features and meets the criteria on the Built Green checklist. Be sure to check the list of participating builders to locate a Built Green builder. If your contractor is not currently a member of Built Green, Please encourage them to join today by directing them to the Built Green website or by calling the Built Green program at (805) 259 5005 or email the program director Karin Perissinotto at
karin@sbcontractors.org .
