The National Association of Home Builders reports that a recently completed remodeling project in Munster, Ind., is the first home remodel to earn certification under the National Green Building Standard.

The 1,100-square-foot ranch home built in 1974 was renovated by Lyng Builders, a Franklin, Ill., custom home building and remodeling company, after floodwaters filled the basement as well as 2 feet of the first floor.

According to NAHB, Lyng Builders worked within a tight budget to repair substantial structural damage, and also persuaded homeowner Steve Holcomb to make energy- and water-saving improvements. It also urged he obtain national green certification through the NAHB Research Center, which trains and accredits third-party inspectors.

For projects to be certified, remodelers must address a range of factors, including energy, resource and water efficiency, and indoor environmental quality in the newly renovated home.

Lyng Builders upgraded the heating and cooling system, installed a high-efficiency water heater, selected Energy Star®-rated appliances, added wall and pipe insulation, and thoroughly sealed the home against air and energy leaks to produce an estimated 49 percent decrease in energy consumption from the pre-remodeled home.

To reduce water waste, the company replaced the faucets and toilets with hi-efficiency fixtures that should help the homeowners use about 20 percent less water.

The home was also equipped with a programmable thermostat, a power-vented attic fan, and a programmed exhaust mechanism for efficient conditioning and ventilation.

"With 111 million existing homes, remodeling these energy and water guzzlers must be a top priority to achieve a more efficient housing stock," stated NAHB Chairman Joe Robson, a builder and developer in Tulsa, Okla.

NAHB says more than 1,500 new homes, renovation projects and subdivisions are in the scoring process for the standard at www.nahbgreen.org, the online home of the NAHB National Green Building Program.

"The certification of this remodeled home in Indiana demonstrates NAHB’s leadership on green remodeling and the benefits homeowners can enjoy with a more efficient home," said Robson.

Learn more about green remodeling from NAHB Remodelers at www.nahb.org/remodel.