Greg Kemp, construction project manager of Durrett Interests, LLC in Austin, Texas recently became one of the select group of professional builders, remodelers, and other industry professionals nationwide who have earned the Certified Green Professional (CGP) designation, identifying him as someone with knowledge of the best strategies for incorporating green building principles into homes – without driving up the cost of construction.

The CGP program is administered by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) University of Housing and sponsored locally by the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin (HBAGA).

In three days of course work, the CGP curriculum incorporates a variety of information tailored to green building and business practices. The CGP curriculum incorporates training by leading building industry practitioners and academics on a range of topics, including strategies for incorporating green-building principles into homes using cost-effective methods of construction, and how green homes provide buyers with lower maintenance and good indoor air quality. Techniques are also discussed for competitively differentiating your home products with increased indoor environmental quality as well as energy and resource efficiency.

CGP program graduates are required to maintain their designation by completing 12 hours of continuing education every 3 years a portion of which pertain to green building activities.

About NAHB: The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 235,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. Known as “the voice of the housing industry," NAHB is affiliated with more than 800 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB’s builder members construct about 80 percent of the new homes constructed each year, making housing one of the largest and most powerful engines of economic growth in the country.

Durrett Interests recently obtained Gold ratings from the NAHB Green Building Program for all four condominium residences built at Wooldridge + 29th in Pemberton Heights, Austin. The homes feature between 1,951 and 2,682 square feet of living area and are priced between $774,575 and $874,575.

"We are thrilled this project achieved Gold ratings with the NAHB’s new green building program," said Marshall Durrett, president of Durrett Interests. "This has been a very challenging project to execute, for a number of reasons, but it’s very rewarding to have such great results. We will display our certificates with much pride in our office."

Notable green building features of Wooldridge + 29th include indirect daylighting, light colored roofing, spray foam insulation, high efficiency air conditioning, low-VOC interior finishes, tankless hot water heaters, dual flush toilets, and compact fluorescent light fixtures.

Chip Henderson and Elton Chessman with Contects Consultants of San Antonio performed the green building rating services for this project, which consisted of verification of construction durability measures and inclusion of prescribed green building features. Services provided by Contects also included testing of the home’s performance upon completion to verify that it was indeed built to the level of energy efficiency required by each green building rating program.

ABOUT NAHB GREEN: Through the National Green Building Program, the National Association of Home Builders is helping its members move the practice of green building into the mainstream. Energy efficiency, water and resource conservation, sustainable or recycled products, and indoor air quality are increasingly incorporated into the everyday process of home building. The National Green Building Program offers several resources and tools to help builders, remodelers, home building associations, and homeowners learn how to build green, and the benefits of doing so.

Chris Carty, project manager of Durrett Interests, LLC recently became one of the select group of professional builders nationwide who have earned the Certified Green Professional (CGP) designation, identifying him as someone with knowledge of the best strategies for incorporating green building principles into homes. Download the full article here.