The National Association of the Remodeling Industry, recently announced it had launched a green education program, complete with a new industry designation, the Green Certified Professional or GCP.

The NARI Green Certified Professional designation is launching in conjunction with its alliance with GreenHomeGuide and is designed to address the growing demand for green home remodeling projects.

Consumers seeking to remodel green will be able to find local Green Certified Professionals in GreenHomeGuide’s green directory. In addition, GreenHomeGuide and NARI will jointly develop continuing education programs for NARI members.
NARI’s Green Remodeling certification is designed to recognize remodelers with a solid foundation in green remodeling. “If a remodeling contractor seeks to demonstrate their knowledge and skill in the area of Green Remodeling,” says Chris Donatelli, CR, CKBR, chairman of NARI’s Green Education subcommittee, “the GCP will help realize those goals.”

In order to earn the GCP designation, a remodeler must have been a full-time remodeler for at least five years, have conducted remodeling projects using green principles, practices, or products for at least three years, have at least 16 hours of green or sustainable remodeling related continuing education and pass a comprehensive examination. For further information about NARI’s green designation, go to www.nari.org.

Green Remodeling

The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) annual conference and exhibition will be held from November 7-9, 2007 in Chicago.

Greenbuild is the world’s largest conference and exhibit hall dedicated to green building. Join over 20,000 attendees to learn more about the rapidly growing green home building industry including the LEED® green building rating system, which was developed by the USGBC as a tool to build healthy, energy-efficient, resource-friendly structures.

The LEED green building rating system, originally developed by USGBC for new commercial construction is now available for homes (single and low-rise multifamily and including affordable construction). LEED certification of a home will ensure that the house is energy-efficient, healthy and environmentally responsible. An article in United Airlines’ in-flight magazine Hemispheres states that “awareness [for green] is growing and consumer preferences are starting to shift. The arrival of the new LEED for Homes program may tip the balance toward the genuinely green homes that many consumers want and the planet needs.”