At the recommendation of the Home Builders Association of Virginia, HBAV has executed an agreement with the Virginia Sustainable Building Network (VSBN) and Southface Energy Institute, Inc. (a program of the Atlanta Home Builders Association) that will bring the EarthCraft House program to Hampton Roads.

The EarthCraft House program is a program that will allow HBAV/Tidewater Builders Association member builders to deliver new homes to the public that assist in protecting the environment and are verified to be energy efficient and durable. The program is modeled after the very successful EarthCraft House program of the Atlanta HBA. The Blue Ridge Home Builders Association also has conducted a successful pilot of the green building program.

A formal introduction of the EarthCraft House program has been scheduled for 10-11 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 28, in the boardroom at TBA offices located at 2117 Smith Ave., Chesapeake, VA. Chuck Bowles of Energy Consortium Inc. will provide an overview of the program, followed by a question-and-answer period. The purpose of this meeting is to provide information on the EarthCraft House program and determine if there is interest in the one-day builder training session.

Under the program, home builders will: pay a training fee of $150 and attend the one-day training session, to be conducted by VSBN with the support of TBA; submit their home building plans for review and approval of their energy efficient features and pay a $750 application fee and; allow their new homes to be the subject of three subsequent inspections. Upon passage of a final inspection, the new home could be marketed as an energy efficient EarthCraft House. With the passage of time, HBAV hopes the EarthCraft House would become the universal symbol of energy efficient (green built) housing in Virginia.

You may make a reservation for the EarthCraft House Program introduction by contacting Dee Fain at 420-2434, ext. 217, or [email protected].