Currently, there are numerous green building programs operating in the United States. Additional information is available for each one on their websites. In the near term, lacking national guidelines for green homes, these programs represent an opportunity to look under the hood and see what green builders are doing to prepare for the next phase of the market.

In general, most of the programs appear to evolve from the Austin Energy Green Building Program developed in the 1980s. Austin, Texas, was the first municipality in the nation to offer a comprehensive systems approach to certification of green homes. Austin based its initial efforts on energy efficiency due to concerns about increasing electricity demand from rapid housing development. Following their successful programs to lower energy use in new homes, the Austin program expanded to include overall green performance with the help of the local housing associations and product manufacturers, including many environmental attributes.

This listing includes only a small number of representative programs in development. Readers are encouraged to contact their local homebuilders association or state's energy administration or department of the environment, where such programs are often housed.

Austin Energy's Green Building Program, Austin, Texas‚ http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/greenbuilder

Build a Better Kitsap, Kitsap County HBA, Wash. http://www.kitsaphba.com/bbk.html

Built Green Colorado, HBA of Metro Denver http://www.builtgreen.org

EarthCraft House, Greater Atlanta HBAÂ http://www.atlantahomebuilders.com

Earth Advantage Homes, Portland General Electric http://www.earthadvantage.com

Florida Green Building Coalition http://floridagreenbuilding.org

Green Builder Program, HBA of Central New Mexico http://www.hbacnm.com

Green Built Home, Wisconsin Environmental Initiative http://www.wi-ei.org/GBH

EnergyStar Homes Program http://www.energystar.gov

Environmental Building News http://www.buildinggreen.com

John Bower. The Healthy House, 4th Ed. 2001; Healthy Homes Institute

Daniel Chiras. The Natural House. 2002; Chelsea-Green Publishers

Michael Crosbie, et al. The Passive Solar Design and Construction Handbook. 1998; (Steven Winter Associates) John Wiley & Sons

Barbara Harwood. The Healing House. 1997; Hay House Press

Alex Wilson, et al. (Rocky Mt. Institute). Green Development. 1998; John Wiley & Sons

OIKOS Green Building Source. Bruce Sullivan, Director http://www.oikos.com

Green Building Advisor CD-ROM. 1999; available through Building Green Inc.

Green building professional directory www4.greenbuilder.com/directory/search.gbpro

Bion Howard