Applying the ICC 700 National Green Building Standard to Existing Buildings

The ICC 700 National Green Building Standard® (NGBS) is the only residential green building rating system approved by ANSI, the American National Standards Institute, as an American National Standard. The NGBS provides practices for the design, construction, and certification of new and existing buildings.

The NGBS offers building owners a credible definition of green existing buildings and renovation projects.

The NGBS also offers flexible certification criteria that can accommodate renovation projects of various scales. Renovation activities may not be required if the building already includes efficient and green features. Renovation projects ranging from moderate rehabilitation to gut rehabs and building conversions are also eligible for certification.

An existing building can earn one of four performance levels – Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Emerald. The certification level achieved is largely dependent on the scale of energy and water savings achieved and additional green building practices achieved.