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6 l~ <br />• Solid Waste Ordinance developed to regulate construction and demolition <br />debris generated from new construction requiring separation of corrugated <br />cardboard, clean wood, and scrap metal. <br />• The North Carolina State Building Codes require a myriad of energy and <br />water conservation regulations, which are currently being required in all <br />new construction and some existing buildings that are components of the <br />green building umbrella. <br />4) Several green building programs have been introduced nationally and <br />regionally over the past several years. Most have guidelines for new and <br />existing residential and commercial construction. Most programs are point- <br />based systems to validate a chosen level of `green' in site selection, structure <br />orientation, resource and materials usage, energy efficient buildings systems, <br />compliance with the EPA's Energy Star program, indoor air quality, water <br />consumption, and education. Most programs require third party certification <br />by design professionals who have special knowledge and or training in a <br />chosen green building program. Among the better-known green programs are <br />the following: <br />a. U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Environment and <br />Energy Conservation (LEED) -Probably the best known green building <br />program is a point based system where projects earn points for satisfying <br />specific green building criteria. The number of points the project earns <br />determines the level of LEED certification the projecfi receives. LEED <br />certification is available in four progressive levels: Certified, Silver, Gold, <br />and Platinum. A LEED certification in a chosen level requires third party <br />verification.www.usgbc.org <br />b. National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Model Green Home <br />Building Guidelines were designed with the mainstream home builder in <br />mind. The purpose of these guidelines is to highlight ways in which a <br />home builder can effectively and holistically weave environmental <br />concerns into a new home and provide a tool for local home builder <br />associations to create a green building program. The Home Builders <br />Association of Durham, Orange, and Chatham Counties has developed a <br />point based green building program based on the national guidelines and <br />is already being utilized by some builders in Orange County. Third party <br />verification is required for a home to be designated Bronze, Silver or Gold. <br />www.nahb.org/qbq <br />c. Green Globes Design is an online building assessment tool that <br />evaluates and rates the environmental performance of new and existing <br />buildings, and interior fit-ups. The program is questionnaire based and <br />consists of approximately 150 questions that take between 2 to 3 hours to <br />answer. Because Green Globes assessment occurs in two stages, it <br />relates to the development approval process: during preliminary <br />