Green Building is a widely used phrase yet it still has no widely agreed upon definition.

There are several green building certification programs in use today. These programs are instrumental in assuring consumers that the buildings they purchase have met a green standard.

The most prominent green building certification programs in North Carolina are Energy Star, HealthyBuilt Homes, and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). These certification programs use a point value system to qualify buildings. Developers, builders or owners select from a myriad of green feature options (with a point value attached) in the design of the building. The “greener” the featured option, the higher the point value. When the choices made accumulate the necessary qualifying point total, the building can be certified through a Green Building Certification program. This process can result in different features in buildings certified through the same programs.

Eco Concepts Realty, Inc. recognizes there are many approaches to building green. To help the consumer make a more informed decision, we have compiled a list of the many facets involved in green building. The level of greenness of each specific building is determined by the number and type of green features found in that particular building.

Eco Concepts Realty has created the following list of green building features. In as much as green building is a rather dynamic field, we will continue to update this portion of our website as new green features become available.