Monday, April 27, 2009

Falls Church City Green Home Award Program

The City of Falls Church has created a "Green Home Award Program" to highlight residential construction projects that have been monitored by a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Certified Rater and have shown to conform to one of several approved residential green building certification programs. The EarthCraft Virginia program, which we've selected for our house certification, is an approved program.

Rather than re-inventing the green wheel, the City staff smartly decided it would be more effective and efficient to point to other rigorous programs and recognizes those as qualifying for the City's program.
Homeowners and developers who choose to participate in the Falls Church City Green Home Award Program will be awarded for doing something positive to improve the sustainability of the environment and the community. We were the first house to submit an application for this program and we hope our construction pace picks up so we're the first house to be awarded under the program!

The City hasn't yet announced what the award will be. We'd love it if it were exemption from real estate taxes, but that's highly unlikely! From our perspective, we're not doing this for any recognition or award; green construction simply is the right thing to do.


Here's a picture of the City's sign in our front yard.