All homes constructed by Home Team Builders are built and certified to Energy Star Standards. Compared with standard homes, ENERGY STAR qualified homes use substantially less energy for heating, cooling, and water heating-delivering savings to their homeowners. Additional savings on maintenance can also be substantial. ENERGY STAR qualified homes also deliver better protection against cold, heat, drafts, moisture, pollution, and noise. An energy-efficient home helps ensure consistent temperatures between and across rooms, improved indoor air quality, and greater durability.

Home Team Builders is a member of the Triad Green Building Council and Jennifer Strimple has been designated as a Certified Green Professional by the National Association of Home Builders. Her 2009 Parade of Homes entry was certified at a Silver Level through the NAHB Research Center's Green Building Guidelines.

Green homes incorporate environmental considerations and resource efficiency into every step of the building and development process to minimize environmental impact. The design, construction, and operation of a home must focus on energy and water efficiency, resource efficient building design and materials, indoor environmental quality, and must take the home's overall impact on the environment into account. However, many of the processes and technologies that go into a green home happen behind the scenes and behind the walls. What can a homebuyer look for?

Look for an NAHB Research Center Certified certificate, the homeowner's guarantee that the home was built according to one of the levels of green outlined in either the ICC 700-2008 National Green Building Standard or the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines. The NAHB Research Center is the sole certifier recognized by NAHB's National Green Building Program.

Key components of a green home include:

Energy-Efficient Features
Many of the energy-efficient qualities of a green home are easy to spot. Appliances, windows, and water heating systems will likely have ENERGY STAR® ratings. The home should also include efficient lighting fixtures and bulbs. Renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic electricity and water heating systems, further decrease the overall energy consumption within the home.

Water-Efficient Features
Fixtures and appliances such as low-flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets, and ENERGY STAR® dishwashers and washing machines all conserve water. Programmed, low-volume irrigation systems, rainwater collection systems, wastewater treatment systems, and hot water recirculation systems also save water.

Resource-Efficient Features
These decisions - from home size, to orientation on the lot, to floor plan layout - are made in the design of your home and development of the lot. The house orientation and design should take advantage of natural daylight to reduce lighting needs, and should use strategies to reduce heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter. The home should contain renewable materials, including rapidly-renewable wood species such as bamboo, and recycled-content materials in carpets, tiles, and concrete formulations.