About GreenPoint Rated

GreenPoint Rated is a credible and accessible pathway to prove your home was built to trusted environmental standards for a sustainable, efficient, durable, and healthier home. Experienced and certified GreenPoint Raters deliver third-party verification on above-code, high-performance single and multi-family homes in California and beyond.

GreenPoint Rated recommends measures and performance benchmarks that specifically address climate and market conditions. They are backed by sound building science, have been tried and tested in the field, and are recognized by third party sources, including the Fannie Mae Green Certification program, California Air Resources Board, the California Energy Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments.

This residential green home rating system can be used on any new construction, existing homes, single family, and multifamily. Each system has a checklist of best building practices for the specific home type and divided into five different categories:

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Energy efficient homes are less drafty, quieter, and have lower utility bills than conventionally built homes. By making your home more energy efficient, you’ll also lower your demand on the power grid and reduce your home’s impact on climate change.

Health / Air Quality

According to the EPA, the air in new homes can be ten times more polluted than outdoor air and today we are spending over 90% of our time indoors. Healthier indoor environments can be achieved by selecting adhesives, paints, and floor finishes without compounds that are known to cause cancer or trigger asthma, and proper ventilation can reduce excessive dust and mold.

Water Conservation

As droughts continue to plague California, fresh water is becoming more precious and water bills are on the rise. By conserving water in your home, you can reduce pressure on our water supply and save money on your bills, all while preserving your favorite water recreation spots. Saving hot water can reduce your energy bills too!

Resource Conservation

Framing techniques that use less lumber and reuse existing materials can help lower upfront cost. Green materials are often more durable than standard building materials, so require less maintenance cost too. GreenPoint Rated homes use recycled materials wherever possible, keeping waste out of landfills and protecting our forests for future generations.

Community

Livable communities enhance quality of life while reducing impact on the environment. Well-designed communities are clustered to help preserve open space for recreation, views, and natural habitats. High-density areas where work, shopping, and school are all close by means less time driving, and fewer greenhouse gas emissions from cars.

How to get a home GreenPoint Rated?

GreenPoint Rated homes are verified by GreenPoint Raters, independent building professionals who are trained and certified by Build It Green. The rating process is a non-invasive physical examination of the building system over the course of the project design and construction. For more details on the process, check out our Builder’s Handbook.

1
HIRE A RATER
Find a certified GreenPoint Rater and bring them in early in your design process. You can find a list of Raters through our Certified Professionals Directory.
2
IDENTIFY MEASURES
Work with the Rater to review the GreenPoint Rated checklist and create a customized list of design features and construction practices for your project. The list ensures you will meet or exceed the GreenPoint Rated prerequisites and point minimums.
3
SUBMIT INITIAL APPLICATION
The Rater submits a project planning score sheet to Build It Green. The Rater assists the project team through the design process to ensure measures are incorporated into the plans and specifications.
4
VERIFY MEASURES
The Rater coordinates with the construction team to provide third-party documentation and site verification of measures and construction practices achieved. All CALGreen and GreenPoint Rated measures must be verified by the Rater.
5
APPLY FOR FINAL CERTIFICATION
The Rater compiles documentation, calculates scores, and, when the project is built and documentation completed, submits all necessary documentation to Build It Green for certification review processing.
6
GET YOUR CERTIFICATE!
Build It Green mails the GreenPoint Rated certificate as instructed by the Rater. Be sure to communicate with the Rater who should receive the certificate.

Housing Types

The GreenPoint Rated system is available for all types of residential buildings. Learn more about eligibility and performance targets, and see profiles of a few of the 80,000+ GreenPoint Rated homes by selecting a project type below:

Multifamily
Single Family

Pricing

Rater Costs

GreenPoint Raters work as independent contractors and set their own rates and service packages. Contractual terms and fee structure are solely between the client and the Rater to negotiate.

Build It Green Administrative Costs

These fees help cover the administrative services provided by Build It Green. We recommend the Rater pays the processing fee and handles all transactions with Build It Green on your behalf. Use this GreenPoint Rated Fee Calculator to determine the administrative fee for your project or refer to the administrative fee chart HERE.

24 Units
Total

$1,070

$
$

Become a GreenPoint Rater

Interested in becoming a green building consultant, a third party green home verifier, or simply design and build better homes? GreenPoint Raters are experienced building professionals with specialized backgrounds and training for the building types they work with. Before being admitted to the GreenPoint Rated training and certification program, the following prerequisites must be met:

  • Professional residential building experience

Candidates must be at least one of the following:

  • Demonstrated knowledge of building science and green building principles
Candidates must hold at least one of the following:
Available Tracks

If you check the above two boxes, we welcome you to apply to become a GreenPoint Rater for new construction single and
multifamily homes. Eligible candidates will then attend GreenPoint Rated Core and GreenPoint Rated New Home training courses.

Apply Here

In addition to the above pre-requisites, candidates must have:

Eligible candidates will then attend GreenPoint Rated Core and GreenPoint Rated Existing Home Multifamily training courses.

Apply Here

For existing single family homes, familiarity with energy performance and combustion safety training are critical.

In addition to the above pre-requisites, candidates must have energy efficiency and combustion safety training. This may include one of the following:

Eligible candidates will then attend GreenPoint Rated Core and GreenPoint Rated Existing Home Single Family training courses.

Apply Here

I have been able to apply what I have learned from the GreenPoint Rated program to my personal life, from making my own home more efficient, to offering green advice to family and friends when building or remodeling their own homes. This program has opened doors to other sustainable and green programs such as LEED and CalGreen, allowing me to build my team and department. I am very proud to be part of this program and I look forward to many more years of growing and learning within the industry.
Fallon Couto
Fallon CoutoManager of Sustainable Services, DuctTesters
Green building consulting is an exciting field to be in and there are many opportunities for growth. Being a GreenPoint Rater has helped me look at the bigger picture. We can’t focus on just waste or only energy—every area of sustainability is important. I’ve been known to educate friends or family on green buildings when we pass by a construction site. It’s hard to not share the knowledge with others!
Jennifer Webb
Jennifer WebbSustainability Consultant, Partner Energy
While pursuing my master’s in environmental studies at San Jose State, my advisor asked me to teach a solar home design class. This early exposure to home energy-efficiency is what sparked my passion for this field. As a GreenPoint Rater, it’s satisfying to convert contractors to the green building side and see people accept more of the rules and requirements. I’m really thankful that jurisdictions have required green buildings and Build It Green is there. Overall, I’ve been amazed that I can make a good living doing this and nothing else. The key is just getting your foot in the door early.
Kate Latham
Kate LathamCALGreen Special Inspector, Latham Home Rating
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Ready to train to become a GreenPoint Rater?
Apply Today

If you believe you are a good candidate for the GreenPoint Rated program, but your experience falls outside the listed requirements, please submit a petition that includes a resume and cover letter explaining your qualifications for the GreenPoint Rated program to greenpointrated@builditgreen.org.

Green Home Resources

Build It Green has a variety of resources available to help you along your green home journey.
Explore Green Home Features
Green Building Certification Guidance
Green Building Marketing Materials
Click here
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