Home and Community Construction That’s Naturally Better!
By Abby Mattera and Gray Kelly
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Right: Vickery is a pilot project that showcases a number of innovative environmental features. It also exhibits many of the principles of “New Urbanism,” including: walkable streets with sidewalks, street trees and front porches; design for a sense of community; and regional, historic architecture |
In 1999 Southface Energy Institute developed the EarthCraft House Program in partnership with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association. EarthCraft House is a voluntary green building program that serves as a blueprint for healthier, more comfortable homes, which reduce utility bills and help to protect the environment.
The benefits for the homeowner include:
- Savings on operating, health and repair costs
- Conservation of resources and energy
- Improved air and water quality
- Quiet and durable
Since its inception, EarthCraft House has become a well-recognized symbol of quality and integrity. Originally a program for single-family new homes, builders and consumers created the demand to apply these principles to a broader range of residential construction. EarthCraft House Renovation was created to address the needs of existing homes, soon followed by EarthCraft Multifamily and affordable housing programs. In partnership with numerous stakeholders, the strategy has been applied to the broader development needs of planned communities in the EarthCraft Communities Program.
A partnership between Southface, The Urban Land Institute, Atlanta Regional Commission and the Greater Atlanta Home Builders created EarthCraft Communities to encourage and recognize developments that contribute to economic vitality while protecting the environment and quality of life. EarthCraft Communities is a certification program that assists land developers in identifying and implementing positive environmental practices.
What important features separate EarthCraft Community from conventional developments?
- Walkability
- Interaction with the community and surrounding sites
- Environmentally sustainable practices: both site development and building development
- Pollution prevention during construction and occupancy
- Integrated planning
- Third-party verification
EarthCraft Communities think beyond just the building structure and look at the larger picture of what makes a community sustainable. For a community to become EarthCraft Community Certified the developer participates in an annual design charrette, submits a worksheet and implementation plan following a point system and allows independent third-party inspections for certification. EarthCraft Community ensures quality to the consumer and support to the developer.
Currently, the EarthCraft Communities approach is being piloted in coastal Georgia through a partnership with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Pollution Prevention and Assistance Division and numerous stakeholders.
The unique issues related to coastal development patterns and pressures provide an opportunity to evaluate practices that will help reduce the impact and guide future growth.
Copies of criteria and scoring sheets are available in the builders and trade section on www.earthcrafthouse.org; select guidelines and worksheets to download the EarthCraft Communities worksheet. A copy of the draft critera for EarthCraft Coastal Communities is also available. Comments are welcome and should be directed to Gray Kelly, gray [at] southface.org. |
