2011 Enterprise Green Communities Certification
Enterprise Green Communities maintains the 2011 Certification pathway for project teams that registered their projects for Green Communities Certification (Step 1 or Step 2) prior to April 11, 2012, and are currently completing Step 1 or Step 2 of Certification. If your project has already achieved Step 1 Certification, please email the Enterprise Green Communities Certification Mailbox for further instructions.If your project has not yet registered for Green Communities Certification, please use our new online system to register your project, Green Communities Certification portal.
All other projects submitting documents to complete Step 1 or Step 2 of Certification should contact the Enterprise Green Communities Certification Mailbox if you have any questions.
Certification Requirements
- All projects must achieve compliance with the 2011 Criteria's mandatory measures applicable to their construction type.
- New construction projects must achieve an additional 35 optional points.
- Substantial and moderate rehab projects must achieve an additional 30 optional points.
Verification Protocol
The Verification Protocol is designed to bring the benefits of third-party, on-site assessment and performance testing to developments seeking Certification. Any project team certifying with Enterprise Green Communities may be subject to on-site verification by a third-party provider. Projects in Step 1 of Certification will be selected for on-site verification on a quarterly basis, using a sampling approach based on the number of certification requests submitted in a given quarter. Enterprise will direct a consultant to conduct the verification, monitor the consultant for quality assurance, and cover the costs to complete the verification.Prebuild (Step 1): Submittal Process
Certification Workbook
All projects must download and complete the following sections of the 2011 Certification Workbook:- Complete all sections of the “Project Overview” spreadsheet.
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Complete the “Intended Methods” tab, including the following:
- Indicate how each criterion will be implemented in column D, and provide additional information or explanation of alternative approaches to meeting the criterion in Column E.
- Include the net density calculation (mandatory Criterion 2.3 and optional Criterion 2.4) in Column E for Additional Information.
- Complete the Location of Measure in Project Documents and Spec page number / plan type for locating measure in Columns F and G.
- Complete Column H which indicates the Champion or project team member responsible for seeing that the criterion is satisfied.
- To indicate compliance with mandatory Criterion 1.1, provide the project team members' digital signatures at the bottom of the Intended Methods form, or send in an additional signed PDF version of the Certification Workbook.
Site Plan
Using the project’s site plan, mark or highlight the following, as applicable:- The project’s proximity to existing infrastructure (mandatory Criterion 2.2), and connecting pathways into the adjacent pedestrian grid.
- For mandatory Criterion 2.6 and optional Criterion 2.7, show the location of additional open space in relationship to the project.
Context Map
On the context map, indicate the center of the site. Then demonstrate the walk distance from the project to the following, as applicable:- The required community amenities surrounding the project (mandatory Criterion 2.5)
- Public open space (Option 2 of mandatory Criterion 2.6 for rural/tribal/small towns projects)
- The location of public transit stops (optional Criterion 2.8)
- The location of the site to a farmer’s market (Option 3 of optional Criterion 2.12)
- Walk distances may be demonstrated by creating a Context Map with concentric circles, indicating the distance of the above listed neighborhood features. Alternatively, project teams may satisfy the Context Map requirement by submitting a Walkscore for your site, including the neighborhood features.
- For projects seeking optional points under Criterion 2.8, attach the weekly bus, train and/or ferry schedule.
Energy Performance Report Form
All project teams must upload the results of their energy model, unless following an approved prescriptive energy performance path as indicated on the “Intended Methods” form of the Certification Workbook.Single Family and Multifamily Buildings (three stories or fewer) - New Construction and Rehabilitation
- To demonstrate compliance with Mandatory credits 5.1a or 5.1c, submit the appropriate Home Energy Rating (HERS) reports. If you have multiple documents, submit as a ZIP file.
- Complete the Energy Performance Report Form. Note that multifamily moderate and substantial rehab projects must complete an additional section – Section IV: Energy Improvements – to identify specific energy improvements proposed in the project scope to achieve the desired percentage of whole-building energy improvement.
- Submit the preliminary energy modeling report provided by your project’s energy modeler and the completed “Energy Performance Report Form” as a combined PDF or as a ZIP file.
Certification Clustering Protocol (required if your project has 8 or more buildings)
New construction projects with more than 8 buildings should use the following protocol and documents to cluster the Certification of their development. Projects that may be qualified to use this protocol include, but are not limited to:- A development entity responsible for a group of single-family homes or buildings that meet the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria and were certified under one application.
- The lead partner in a consortium of developers certifying single-family homes under the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). The lead partner is acting as an intermediary between the consortium of developers and the Enterprise Green Communities Certification process, handling the application work.
Waiver Request Process
A formal waiver request process is available for project teams with extenuating circumstances that may preclude the full integration of a mandatory measure. To maintain the technical integrity of the Criteria, this is offered on a limited basis for situations where an alternative approach or a waiver for a single mandatory measure may be acceptable.Project teams should download and complete the Waiver Request Form as soon as the issue is identified during the design and construction process, and email it directly to the Enterprise Green Communities Certification Mailbox.
Postbuild (Step 2): Submittal Process
Project teams must complete Certification document submittals within 60 days of construction completion.Enterprise conducts final review and determines whether project can be certified as meeting the 2011 Green Communities Criteria. Enterprise sends notification of certification to project contact via email within 30 days of receiving completed submission.
First, download and complete the following required submittals. Submittals should be made to the Enterprise Green Communities Certification Mailbox. Projects will not be reviewed until all of the following submittals have been submitted.
Certification Workbook
Use the Certification Workbook your project team submitted in Prebuild (Step 1) of Enterprise Green Communities Certification. Both the “Project Overview” and “Intended Methods” spreadsheets should already be completed.- Complete the “Cost Development” spreadsheet to the best of your knowledge.
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Complete the “Compliance Report” spreadsheet.
- In Column E, explain if the project deviated from the optional intended points in the “Intended Methods” spreadsheet. Note any special circumstances or waivers from any of the mandatory criterion.
- Indicate the final number of optional points being met in Column J, "Achieved Points".
- Have the project team members indicated as “Champion” in Column H provide digital signatures at the bottom of the “Compliance Report” worksheet. Projects that do not include digital signatures should send in an additional signed & scanned PDF version of the Certification Workbook.
Project Photos
Submit project photos that show the project and site before, during and after construction to the Enterprise Green Communities Certification Mailbox.These photos should be packaged as a ZIP file containing the photos of the project. They should be a print quality of at least 4” x 6” and 300 dpi.
Email a completed image release form to the Enterprise Green Communities Certification Mailbox.
Utility Release Form
Submit PDF versions of the utility release forms signed by the property owner/developer for at least 15% of homes or units to the Enterprise Green Communities Certification Mailbox. Since there will be multiple documents, submit the PDF’s as a ZIP file.Energy Performance Report Form(s)
All project teams must submit the final results of their energy model to the Enterprise Green Communities Certification Mailbox, unless they are using an approved prescriptive pathway. If following a presriptive pathway, provide documentation that they requirements were met. If the project has multiple buildings and/or multiple documents to submit, please submit a ZIP file.Single Family and Multifamily Buildings (three stories or fewer) - New Construction
Submit official ENERGY STAR for New Homes Certificates. Required of both prescriptive and performance pathways.
Single Family and Multifamily Buildings (three stories or fewer) - Rehabilitation
Submit official Home Energy Rating (HERS) reports.
Multifamily Buildings (four stories or more) - New Construction and Rehabilitation
Revise the preliminary Energy Performance Report Form and energy modeling report provided by the project’s energy modeler. Combine and submit documents as a PDF or as a ZIP file