What is Green Advantage Certification and What Are The Benefits?

Green Advantage is a program that is nationally certified for green building experts. It’s the only certification out there for remodelers and green builders which is both unaffiliated and national with the trade association. They were established by a grant that was funded by the Nature Conservancy and the US Environmental Protection Agency, they were developed with collaboration with the (SAIC) Science Applications International Corporation and with the University of Florida.

This certification is meant for individuals that are working in the construction industry like trades people, subcontractors and contractors. To be certified they have to partake in a training course before they take the exam. There is now residential training with David Johnston from What’s Working. He will personally train certified professionals across the nation to be able to provide this certification course. His course, which is called “Green from the Ground Up” is going to prepare students to get ready and be able to take the exam for Green Advantage.

There are now over three thousand building related experts that have taken the certification exam. Those professionals that have earned their certification can now market themselves as being certified and they will become a part their certified experts on their database.

Now, when homeowners search their website and any other affiliated marketing association they will look through this database for someone that is certified in their area. The membership to this database is going to help set you apart from your competitors that are in your field.

There is also a community on their website for all the certified experts so this gives you an opportunity to network and problem solve with others while providing up to date information that will keep you current on all the quickly changing things going on in the area of green building.

To be certified you have to know and understand the basic concepts of green construction and the practices in 6 thematic area. You also have to pass the exam with a 75% or higher score. The exam has questions in all the 6 areas and will include both design based and field questions.

Transition to Eco Friendly Insulation

A huge cornerstone in the business of green building is insulation. Buildings that have been poorly insulated waste huge amounts of energy. The supply of our fossil fuels is decreasing while the price increases, so people are getting more concerned with how their businesses are able to save money and resources by insulating. There really are just a small amount of buildings in the US that are sufficiently insulated to stand up against the price increases.

Green really isn’t just getting more respect, it’s fast becoming a major necessity as builders, corporations, retailers, governments, health care providers and others keep pushing for green buildings. The price of heating fuel and natural gas have doubled and even tripled in a few places. Improving all the insulation in a building is going to have a huge effect on any small business owners heating bill.

Green buildings do not look anything like they used to in the 70’s. They now appear very diverse and normal. Professionals who don’t consider themselves to be green are starting to adopt green practices. There are many who can now see all the benefits of going green and they want to now implement them into their lives. The blown in cellulose insulation for the attic or sidewalls can raise the R-factors and of course, save you a lot of money on your energy bills.

Re-insulating a building can be costly but if you look at your current heating bill and the future rise in these bills you will be able to assess your return on investment. In most cases, it is well worth the investment because in just a few short years the savings will be so large that it will cover the cost of the installation and more.

You will find that a building with no drafts is a lot more comfortable and it will give you a much more pleasant environment to work in. You will also find that insulation is a wonderful sound barrier and will knock out the street noise.

Transition to Eco Friendly Foundation

A very well planned out foundation can make a huge contribution in controlling the cooling and heating costs and eliminate the potential mold and moisture problems. There are a lot of different kinds of foundations to pick from, depending on water table, soils condition, climate and other factors.

Your home should be constructed so that it will last for a lifetime. This is a challenge for concrete workers because they need to build the very best foundation possible. They need to pay close attention to detail while building the foundation to help prevent moisture and water problems later. They also need to do all the correct insulation techniques so they will save the homeowner a lot of money on all the utility bills.

Using less concrete along with other materials on the job will save both them and you money. Concrete does last a very long time but there is a lot of energy that goes into making it. They need to think about using methods that use a lot less concrete as this can really add up over the long haul.

You will also want a minimum of 15% of fly-ash in the concrete. What is Fly-ash? It is a by-product of coal fired energy plants. You can request it to be added to the concrete mix when you place your order! This will make the concrete not only stronger, but much more durable and even water resistant.

Also consider using a shallow frost protected foundation especially if your building is located in a cold climate. This will help save extra money and materials as well!

The foundation is part of the home and also needs to be well insulated. Insulation is a major cornerstone to energy conservation. Also installing a drain around the whole perimeter at the foundations base will help keep water away from the foundation thus preventing any damage to the foundation wall.

Applying for Green Building Grants and Funding

There are many places you can’t find funding and grants for green building and they’re available on the local, state and national levels. They are for nonprofits, government organizations, industries and homeowners alike. Here are some places that you can start looking for green building grant and funding opportunities.

1. Department of Energy/Renewable Financial Opportunities and Energy Efficiency

The department of (EERE) Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, works towards increasing usage of energy efficiency technologies and renewable energy. EERE offers opportunities for financial assistance for their demonstration and development. This is for nonprofits, industries, consumers and government.

2. Enterprise/ Green Communities

They provide technical assistance, tax credit equity, financing and grants to developers that meet all criteria for housing that is affordable and conserves natural resources and energy, promotes health, provides close access to services, schools and jobs. This is for nonprofits and industries.

3. Federal Government/Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency

There are tax credits available to you at 30% of all the total cost, of up to $1,500 for the years 2009 and 2010 in existing homes only and they are for Biomass stoves, water heaters, HVAC, roofs, insulation, doors and windows. This is for consumers and industries.

4. The Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities

This is an organization that is not-for-profit and a non-partisan and they exists to expand, strengthen and inspire funders’ abilities and philanthropic leadership to support the organizations working to help improve communities through growth policies and better development decisions. This is for Nonprofits, industries and government.

5. Home Depot Foundation

They provide grants to nonprofits that are eligible, 3 times a year with 2 different programs: Healthy Community Trees and Affordable Housing Built Responsibly programs. This is only for Nonprofits.

6. Kresge Foundation/Green Building Initiative

They want to increase awareness for green building practices with the nonprofits and they encourage them to think about building green. They offer special grants and educational resources to help nonprofits. This is for nonprofits and government.

7. Tax Incentive Assistance Project

This is made to give businesses and consumers the information they need so they can make use of all the federal income tax incentives that are for technologies and energy efficient products.