Green Buildings			
What is a Green Home? 
A green home is a healthy, comfortable, cost efficient home that reduces energy and water usage and protects the environment. Components of a green home may include:
•	Specific construction practices to minimize and recycle construction waste; 
•	Careful insulation practices; 
•	Nontoxic interior finishes (low VOC paint, sealants, and carpeting); 
•	Components made from renewable resources (such as cork or bamboo floors, wheatboard cabinetry); 
•	Recycled content components (such as recycled glass tiles, recycled-content countertops); 
•	Energy efficient appliances (Energy Star rated refrigerator, dishwasher, water heater, etc.); 
•	Photovoltaic (solar) panels; 
•	Water efficient appliances and landscape irrigation (front loading clothes washers and moisture sensing irrigation systems); 
•	Stormwater collection (rainbarrels or larger cisterns); 
•	Careful placement of shade trees; 
•	Careful placement of windows to maximize interior light and ventilation. 
The list is endless and allows you to use your imagination and creativity in constructing a green home.
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Why Do Green Homes Matter to Homeowners? 
There are lots of reasons to build a green home. Green home save money, provide healthy indoor environments, and reduce impacts on the environment.
Green homes save money in the long run. An energy efficient home reduces your electric and natural gas bills by 30% or more. Careful analysis of house size and configuration, insulation levels, heating and cooling equipment selection, and ductwork location all enhance energy efficiency. Designing your home to take advantage of natural wind currents, sun angles, and on-site shade reduces the need for air conditioning. Water efficient appliances, faucets, toilets, and landscape watering equipment also save money on your water bill.
If specific attention is paid to the materials used in construction, a green home can reduce exposure to potential allergens and toxins. For example, protecting the ventilation ducts from dust and moisture during construction reduces the introduction of airborne particulates and mildew into the home. Using paints, adhesives, sealants, and wood products that don’t contain volatile organic chemicals and urea formaldehyde reduces exposure to chemicals.
Designing your home to reduce stormwater runoff helps protect Arlington’s streams, the Potomac River, and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. Minimize the building footprint and reduce driveway pavement. Use water from downspouts to water the garden. Save existing trees on the site. Use native plant species for your landscaping. These are just some ideas to make your home an environmentally friendly place!
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What is the Arlington Green Home Choice Program?
Arlington has developed the Green Home Choice program as an incentive for homebuilders to build green. The program provides a listing of building techniques and components that result in a more efficient and healthy home. Builders who participate in the program are offered front-of-the-line plan review, lawn signs indicating participation in the program, attendance at County-sponsored seminars, and recognition as “green” builders. Read a general outline of the program.
The Arlington Green Home Choice program is based on the Earthcraft House program, a green home rating system designed by the Southface Institute in Atlanta, Georgia. A draft guidance document describes the various green components you can choose from in order to achieve the Green Home Choice certification. A draft scoresheet helps homebuilders track green components and add up points. In order to receive “Green Home Choice” certification from Arlington County, the builder must achieve a predetermined number of points as outlined on the scoresheet.
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How Does the Green Home Choice Program Work?
If you are a homebuilder interested in participating in the program, you should first download the guidance document and scoresheet to make sure you understand what is required. Next, contact Joan Kelsch in the Environmental Planning Office at 703-228-3599 to discuss the project. You will be asked to sign an Intent Form and your plans will be labeled as a “green home” project. You will be assigned a plans examiner and a building inspector who will both track the project through the program.
If you have comments on the program, please contact Joan Kelsch, Arlington County Environmental Planner, at 703-228-3599 or Joan Kelsch.
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Green Building Resources
There are many websites with information on green home. A search on the web for specific information will provide the most up-to-date information. Some general information websites include:
•	Environmental Building News 
•	Natural Home Magazine 
•	Southface Institute's Earthcraft House program 
•	EPA's Energy Star program 
•	Green-e Renewable Energy Certification program 
•	Green Seal environmentally friendly products 
•	Environmentally friendly products for the home 
•	Sustainable Building Industry Council 
There are additional resources on green buildings and energy on our resources page.

Revised: 07/31/2003 16:45:40 
URL: http://www.co.arlington.va.us/des/ 
E-mail: http://www.co.arlington.va.us/Scripts/feedback_form.asp?To=des@co.arlington.va.us 
Arlington County Department of Environmental Services 
Environmental Planning Office 
2100 Courthouse Plaza Suite 801 
Arlington, VA 22201 
703-228-4488