The open-source home certification · Nonprofit mission
Anyone can say a home is green. GreenStar Homes verifies it — health, efficiency, durability, and carbon, inspected and documented by an independent professional. The entire standard is open and free to use, run by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Open source · Nonprofit
Most certifications sell you the rulebook. GreenStar publishes it — every requirement, every level, every badge, free for anyone to use on any project, certified or not. The program is run by the GreenHome Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so certification dollars fund education and healthier housing, not shareholders.
Read the full certification manual and open the working checklist at no cost. Use them to green a kitchen remodel or a 200-unit development — no license required.
Read the manualBrowse all 54 requirements across five pillars — filterable by level, pillar, and project type — in the open digital reference at standard.greenstarhomes.org.
Browse the standard →Why certify
Ventilation, radon, combustion safety, and material requirements verify the air your family actually breathes — not just what the brochure promised.
Energy and water efficiency targets are built into every level, cutting monthly bills for the life of the home.
Moisture management, structural integrity, and resilience requirements protect the largest purchase most people ever make.
Certified projects are listed on the Green Building Registry — visible to appraisers, agents, and future buyers.
For homeowners
The free checklist tells you exactly what a healthy, efficient home requires — use it for a kitchen remodel or a gut rehab, whether or not you certify. When you do certify, a GreenHome Inspector verifies the work, so you're not taking a contractor's word for it.
Get the free manual →For builders & developers
Certification differentiates your listings with third-party proof — plus project profiles, press support, and a plaque for the wall. GreenStar pairs cleanly with Zero Energy Ready, ENERGY STAR, and utility programs, and it works across single-family, multifamily, and mixed-use.
Talk to the Institute →Certification levels
Requirements are additive — a Platinum home meets every Certified, Silver, and Gold requirement first. Start where your project is; climb when you're ready.
Level 1
The essentials — mandatory safety, water, energy, and material assessments every certified project completes.
Level 2
Tighter water and energy targets, improved filtration, ventilation upgrades, and documented occupant training.
Level 3
Electrified major appliances, balanced ventilation, in-home air quality sensing, and a 15% embodied-carbon reduction.
Level 4
Full electrification, real-time leak detection, solar and EV readiness, and a 30% embodied-carbon reduction.
Any certified home can add optional badges for the goals that matter most to the project:
How it works
Review the free manual, start a workbook, pick your level, and register the project.
A certified GreenHome Inspector reviews plans or inspects the existing building, and guides the project.
Reports, photos, and testing results are logged against each requirement as work progresses.
Final review, certificate issued, and the project is listed on the Green Building Registry.
Projects that engage before construction begins tend to be the most successful. The full 23-step process is documented in the standard.
Register your project with the GreenHome Institute, or start with the free checklist today.
