Builders and homeowners researching green certifications will encounter three options: EarthCraft, LEED for Homes, and NGBS Green. This page compares them head-to-head so you can pick.
EarthCraft is a green building program developed in 1999 by the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, with strong adoption across the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Appalachia. Today it is run as a public-private partnership and is widely used by affordable-housing developers across Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia.
EarthCraft focuses on three areas:
EarthCraft offers three certification tiers: EarthCraft Gold, EarthCraft Platinum, and (for multifamily) EarthCraft Light Commercial. Each tier is calibrated to climate zone and home size to ensure cost-effective implementation.
EarthCraft is widely recognized by Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and Alabama state Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs) for affordable housing funded by LIHTC.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the green building program from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED for Homes covers residential at four levels: Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
LEED is globally recognized but generally more expensive than EarthCraft or NGBS Green. LEED certification fees range from $2,000–$5,000 for a single-family home plus verifier costs. LEED requires LEED AP documentation and a Green Rater who is separate from the energy rater.
LEED for Homes is best for:
NGBS Green is the ANSI-approved standard developed by NAHB. Covered in detail in our other guide, NGBS Green offers the broadest institutional recognition of any residential green program. It is the default program cited by:
| Factor | EarthCraft | LEED for Homes | NGBS Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Southeast/affordable | High-end custom | All U.S. |
| Tiers | Gold, Platinum | Cert., Silver, Gold, Platinum | Bronze, Silver, Gold, Emerald |
| ANSI-approved | No | Yes (LEED v4) | Yes (ANSI) |
| Verifying cost | $1,200–$2,500 | $2,500–$5,500 | $1,500–$3,500 |
| Inspection count | 2–3 | 3+ | 3 |
| Climate zones | 5 zones (Southeast) | All U.S. | All U.S. |
| Affordable-housing | Preferred in many states | Sometimes used | Default requirement in many states |
If you build multifamily affordable housing in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, or Georgia, EarthCraft will likely be the cheapest path. Its design is intentionally right-sized for affordable: lower documentation overhead, simpler verification, mid-range costs.
Custom homes in the $750k+ price range, or any project where the buyer wants the LEED brand for resale or marketing, are good candidates for LEED.
If you are building across multiple states (especially Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, or Kentucky) and want a single program that satisfies multiple funding sources, NGBS Green is the answer.
HECS USA is a certified verifier for all three programs (EarthCraft House Verifier + NGBS Green Verifier). We also help builders pick the right program and run concurrent verifications when affordable-housing funding sources overlap.
Yes. Many HECS-verified homes hold all three certifications (LEED, NGBS Green, EarthCraft) alongside ENERGY STAR. The inspections largely overlap; separate certificates and fees apply to each program.
Yes — NGBS Green is the only ANSI-accredited residential standard, and is accepted by all secondary-mortgage market participants for green-building mortgage products.
EarthCraft typically comes in cheapest, followed by NGBS Green, then LEED.
HECS USA helps builders pick the right green program for their project and target market. We serve Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois, and Missouri with EarthCraft, LEED, NGBS Green, and ENERGY STAR verification. Call (859) 983-7382 or get a free comparison quote.