Minnesota Residential Green Building Program Launched

Several organizations have joined forces to create Minnesota GreenStar, a residential green building program. The program will consist of two rating systems, one for remodeling projects and the other for new construction. Corey Brinkema, executive director of the Green Institute, which led the effort to write the system, said that Minnesota GreenStar is a more prescriptive rating system than LEED for Homes, although the systems share much in common. “Builders want a standard that is a ‘how-to’ rather than a ‘what-to-do’,” he said. After a successful pilot program in the Minneapolis area, the rating system for remodeling projects throughout the state was launched in October 2007. Currently in its pilot phase, the system for new construction should launch in March 2008. More information is available at www.mngreenstar.org.