ABOUT LOCAL GREEN CERTIFICATIONS

Lesser known, but maybe more relevant

Some of the local and regional green building programs are much older than either of the two best known national brands, LEED for Homes and the National Green Building Standard. In Austin, Texas, for instance, green building has been around in some form for more than 20 years.

Given wider publicity, national programs should have better name recognition and a marketing edge among home buyers just moving into the area. But local and regional programs presumably are better tailored to local conditions and may be appealing to home buyers who already live in the area and know the label.