EarthCraft Atlanta: Setting the Standard for the S

With successful green building programs like EarthCraft House, Metro Atlanta is slowly defining what it means to be green in the Southeast US. The city now has over 5,500 EarthCraft certified homes and condos and six EarthCraft communities. The standards have proven to be so successful at producing homes that Georgians want to live in that they've been adopted in Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

The EarthCraft standards were developed for Metro Atlanta in 1999 as way to measure and encourage energy efficient building practices in the booming Metro Atlanta region. In order to be certified by the EarthCraft program, homes have to meet standards for environmental impact, pollution prevention, energy efficiency, comfort and conservation.

The real estate market in Metro Atlanta is now full of homes with the EarthCraft seal of approval. The program offers training and technical assistance to builders interested in building green homes. After just eight years, hundreds of builders in Georgia specialize in building certified Earthcraft houses.

Though it may feel good to live in a green home, the popularity of the EarthCraft standards and the homes that get the EarthCraft Seal of approval aren't about tree-hugging. What's really making people take notice is the added value that certification guarantees. Because they're energy efficient with higher standards for building materials and indoor air quality, Earthcraft buildings are designed to be cheaper to operate and save owners money. These homes are also longer-lasting and healthier to live in.

The success of the EarthCraft House program is one of many signs of Atlanta's aspirations to go green and not a moment too soon. The population of Metro Atlanta has exploded over the last five years and the area has grown faster than any other major metropolitan area in the states. It's significant that a city famous for its sprawl should also be the birthplace of such a successful eco-program. The Earthcraft program takes its place alongside world-class community projects like Atlantic Station, Georgia Tech's recent success in the 2007 Solar Decathlon and one of the highest percentages of LEED certified buildings in the US. Programs like these are testimony to the city's effort to catch up with itself and grow sustainably.

Posted by Caren Risley on December 13, 2008 at 12:00 AM

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Caren Risley is affliated with OcalaHouses.com, which is located in Ocala, FL. For further assistance please use the contact information located on the right.

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Local Information for Ocala, FL

Latitude: 29.187704 -- Longitude: -82.130613

ZIP Codes for Ocala, Florida	34470 34471 34472 34473 34474 34475 34476 34477 34478 34479 34480 34481 34482 34483
Area Code for Ocala, Florida	352
Time zone for Ocala, Florida	EST

Other Area Cities: Ocala, FL Belleview, FL Silver Springs Shores, FL Summerfield, FL Lady Lake, FL The Villages, FL

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Ocala is located at 29°11'16?N, 82°7'50?W (29.187704, -82.130613).GR1 According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 100.1 km² (38.6 mi²), all land. The surrounding farms are famous for their thoroughbred horses, in terrain similar to Kentucky bluegrass. Ocala is also known for nearby Silver Springs, Florida, site of one of the largest artesian spring formation in the world and one of the earliest tourist attractions in Florida. Several major highways pass through Ocala, including Interstate 75, U.S. Highway 27, U.S. Route 301, and U.S. Highway 441. Ocala was on the Western leg of the historic Dixie Highway. In Florida there is a saying, "The North's in the South and the South's in the North". Because of this Ocala is considered by many Floridians to be where the "South" starts. -- Source: Wikipedia.com

Florida 2000 Census Population Profile Map

	Ocala	Florida	United States
Population	45,943	15,982,378	281,421,906
Median age	39	38.7	35.3
Median age for Male	36.4	37.3	34
Median age for Female	41.4	40.1	36.5
Households	18,646	6,337,929	105,480,101
Household population	42,683	15,593,433	273,643,273
Average household size	2.29	2.46	2.59
Families	11,282	4,210,760	71,787,347
Average family size	2.91	2.98	3.14
Housing units	20,501	7,302,947	115,904,641
Occupied units	18,646	6,337,929	105,480,101
Vacant units	1,855	965,018	10,424,540

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EarthCraft Atlanta: Setting the Standard for the S

Local Information for Ocala, FL

Latitude: 29.187704 -- Longitude: -82.130613

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