The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the International Code Council (ICC) proudly announce the release of the ICC 700-2025 National Green Building Standard® (NGBS)—the fifth edition of the nation’s premier residential green building standard. Approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the 2025 NGBS continues to define the benchmark for sustainable residential construction, renovation, and land development across the United States.
Developed through an independent consensus committee representing a broad range of stakeholders, the 2025 NGBS reflects leading thinking in green design, construction, and building performance. It applies to single-family homes, multifamily buildings, mixed-use developments, and land development projects, as well as other similarly constructed residential facilities.
“The 2025 NGBS represents nearly two decades of progress and innovation in sustainable residential construction and remodeling,” said Bill Owens, a builder and remodeler from Worthington, Ohio. “This edition expands the possibilities for high-performance, resilient, and low-carbon homes that meet the evolving needs of both the housing industry and homeowners.”
Focus areas
The NGBS promotes high performance in six critical areas:
- Lot design, preparation, and development.
- Resource efficiency.
- Energy efficiency.
- Water efficiency.
- Indoor environmental quality.
- Operation, maintenance, and building owner education.
Depending on their project goals, building types, market demands, and sustainability priorities, builders, remodelers and developers can pursue certification at multiple levels—Certified, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Emerald—which demonstrate progressively higher achievement in green building practices.
What’s new in the 2025 edition
The 2025 NGBS introduces several major updates and expanded pathways, reflecting the latest best practices in sustainable building:
- New property certification path for existing multifamily and mixed-use communities with multiple buildings.
- Expanded resilience practices to help homes better withstand natural disasters and support residents sheltering in place afterward.
- New practices to encourage low-carbon design to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Alternative energy efficiency compliance options.
- Substantially revised existing building chapter with more flexible compliance options.
A commitment to sustainable housing
The ICC and NAHB remain committed to providing the residential construction industry with the flexibility needed to design, build and remodel homes and mixed-use buildings that are sustainable, cost-effective, and regionally appropriate. The 2025 NGBS builds upon nearly two decades of proven results, offering a comprehensive, adaptable framework for today’s green building challenges.
“We are committed to continually advancing codes and standards,” said ICC Chief Executive Officer John Belcik. “Together with NAHB, we are proud to introduce this updated standard for high-performance buildings, which is an achievement born from a longstanding, collaborative relationship.”
For more information or to access the ICC 700-2025 National Green Building Standard®, visit www.nahb.org/ngbs.
About the National Association of Home Builders
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in homebuilding, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing, and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB is affiliated with 700 state and local homebuilder associations around the country. NAHB’s builder members will construct about 80% of the new housing units projected for this year.
About the International Code Council
The International Code Council (ICC) is the leading global source of model codes and standards and building safety solutions. Code Council codes, standards, and solutions are used to ensure safe, affordable, and sustainable communities and buildings worldwide.
