EarthCraft is designed to address the challenging energy, water and climate conditions of the Southeast.

Earthcraft

The EarthCraft green building certification program was developed by Southface Institute and the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association in 1999. EarthCraft is designed to address the challenging energy, water and climate conditions of the Southeast.

EarthCraft certification ensures that buildings and communities can benefit from significant utility savings and improved indoor air quality while protecting our natural resources. EarthCraft requires all buildings to be constructed by a certified EarthCraft Builder and be independently field verified by a certified EarthCraft Technical Advisor.

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Benefits of EarthCraft Certification

Owners

Federal, state and local tax incentives available
Reduce risk and warranty expense
Increase long-term appraisal value

Consultants

Alternative to USGBC LEED building certifications at a fraction of the cost
Partner with high-performance building industry experts
Meet growing demand for high-performance buildings

Occupants

Breathe easy with improved indoor air quality
Lower utility costs
Support the sustainability industry

EarthCraft Family of Programs

EarthCraft House

EarthCraft House is a residential green building program intended for single-family detached homes, townhomes and duplexes. With average energy costs up to 30% lower than the typical new home, EarthCraft-certified houses are cost-effective, durable, comfortable and water-, energy- and resource-efficient.

EarthCraft Multifamily

EarthCraft Multifamily was the first multifamily-specific green building program in the nation. This program is intended for low-rise and mid-rise multifamily projects including new construction, renovation, gut rehab and adaptive reuse.

EarthCraft Renovation

EarthCraft Renovation, a residential program, provides clear guidelines for renovations or additions to existing homes. EarthCraft Renovation assists homeowners and builders in identifying the causes of common problems like uncomfortable room temperatures, high energy bills, poor indoor air quality and combustion safety issues so they can be improved during the renovation process.

EarthCraft Communities

EarthCraft Communities assists land developers and local government agencies to create sustainable, market-rate and affordable housing communities. The program emphasizes low-impact development, walkable design and community connectivity, transit-ready density, effective stormwater management, access to open space and more.

EarthCraft Light Commercial

EarthCraft Light Commercial is a cost-effective and environmentally responsible building strategy for commercial buildings. The program can be applied to both new construction as well as most major renovations.

EarthCraft Sustainable Preservation

Developed by Southface and The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, EarthCraft Sustainable Preservation is a regional green building certification program created specifically for historic buildings. The program is designed to evaluate and highlight what is inherently sustainable about historic buildings while providing guidance on renovations to make them more energy- and water-efficient.

Certify Your Project

Southface can help you achieve certification in any of these categories.

Resources

Case Study

Greenstone on Fifth

Greenstone on Fifth Community Building at Blue Ridge Apartments in Charlottesville, Virginia is a 3,531 square foot, two-story commercial building that was certified in the EarthCraft Light Commercial (ECLC) green building program in 2014.

Case Study

Efficient Solutions for New Homes: Savannah Gardens

The Savannah Housing Department is leading sustainable and affordable housing development in Georgia. It partnered with Southface Energy Institute, a member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Partnership for Home Innovation Building America research team, to seek cost-effective solutions for …

Continue reading “Efficient Solutions for New Homes: Savannah Gardens”

Case Study

City of Decatur High Performance Building Standard

Making homes and businesses more efficient is a great way to cut energy consumption and reduce our impact on the environment.