Issue link: http://digital.nexsitepublishing.com/i/731142
Third-party Verification If you have children, imagine your four-year-old telling you they brushed their teeth. e truth is they might have, or thought they did, but maybe that was yesterday, or maybe they just did the top row. ird-party verification provides assurance that an unrelated party confirmed that whatever was supposed to be done, was done, and done correctly. Even as dedicated sustainable builders, we almost always learn something from this process, resulting in an improved home every time. It's for Everyone! Last but not least, Built Green was designed to be attainable. Nothing about it is beyond builders of all stripes. Whether you're a traditional third- generation builder or a cutting-edge sustainable builder, Built Green is easy to achieve and well worth the effort. Just as builders a century ago thought indoor plumbing was a terrible idea and way too hard to implement, it turns out to have been a pretty nice upgrade and one I wouldn't give up easily—just like Built Green. Water Built Green requires WaterSense® fixtures throughout the house, assuring homeowners of high quality water fixtures that use significantly less water. is saves not only water, but money on your water bill, and the cost of heating that water. Storm Water Built Green looks further than your checkbook. e program seeks to keep as much storm water on site as possible, so as not to contribute to storm water flows that damage salmon habitat and ecosystems. Indoor Air Quality Built Green has maximum thresholds for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which are toxins that off-gas over time. VOCs are present in all kinds of building materials from paints to carpet, plywood and cabinets and dozens more. Unfortunately, a dizzying array of toxins are put into every home and it's legal. e Built Green standards keep the worst of these out of your home. BUILD 22 HomeMatters FALL 2016 mbaks.com