EarthCraft House, EarthCraft Multifamily, and EarthCraft Light Commercial certification — third-party verification that satisfies the program, the lender, and the green-building goals of the project.
EarthCraft is a green-building certification program administered by the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association and Southface, with program paths for single-family (EarthCraft House), multifamily (EarthCraft Multifamily), and light commercial (EarthCraft Light Commercial) projects. The certification focuses on energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality, and sustainable construction practices — with a third-party verified performance path that satisfies the program and the lender of record.
EarthCraft certification is widely adopted on affordable housing and LIHTC projects in the Southeast and is expanding into the Midwest. The certification is recognized by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and most state housing finance agencies as a credible green-building program — and the EarthCraft certification report is the deliverable that satisfies the lender, the funder, and the green-building goals of the project.
HECS delivers EarthCraft certification as a third-party verifier. We work with the design team from the early phases to identify the most cost-effective measures, conduct the on-site inspections (pre-drywall and final), run the certified field tests (blower door, duct leakage, refrigerant charge), and issue the certification report of record. The EarthCraft certification is bundled with ENERGY STAR, 45L, NGBS, or LEED on projects where stacking adds value.
HECS delivers three EarthCraft engagement scopes depending on the building type, the program path, and whether the certification is bundled with another program (ENERGY STAR, NGBS, 45L).
Single-family & townhome
EarthCraft House for single-family and townhome construction. Pre-drywall and final inspections, certified field tests, and the EarthCraft certification report of record.
Best for: Single-family, townhome, custom, production
Multifamily new construction
EarthCraft Multifamily for 4-story and above multifamily. Sampling per RESNET 380, common areas plus dwelling units, and the full documentation required by EarthCraft and the lender of record.
Best for: Multifamily 4+ stories, LIHTC, HUD, USDA
ENERGY STAR, NGBS, 45L
EarthCraft bundled with another certification program or federal tax credit — one schedule, one team, one set of reports that line up with each other.
Best for: Developers pursuing EarthCraft + program certification
From design review to the final certification, here is what HECS delivers on an EarthCraft engagement.
HECS reviews the architectural plans, the mechanical equipment schedule, and the target EarthCraft program path. We work with the design team to identify the most cost-effective measures and confirm the design will clear the EarthCraft threshold before construction commits.
HECS conducts on-site inspection at pre-drywall: insulation grade and continuity, air-sealing details, window U-factor and SHGC, duct rough-in, framing details, and water-management details. We document the as-built conditions and flag deviations before drywall closes the wall cavities.
At final, HECS runs the certified field tests: blower door, duct leakage, refrigerant charge verification, HVAC efficiency verification, and the inspection of the as-built systems. Every test is run with calibrated instruments, with current calibration certificates, and the test results feed the EarthCraft certification report.
HECS issues the EarthCraft certification report: the program path, the measure checklist, the field test results, the inspection findings, the instrument calibration, the verifier signature, and the certification of record. The report is the deliverable the builder files with EarthCraft and the lender.
Every HECS EarthCraft report includes the following calibrated measurements and inspections, formatted to the EarthCraft program of record.
Calibrated blower door test at 50 pascals. CFM50, ACH50, and ELA reported per ASTM E779 or RESNET 380. Required at final for EarthCraft verification.
DuctTester measures total duct leakage to outside at 25 Pa per RESNET 380. Required at final for the duct-leakage credit on EarthCraft projects.
On installed AC and heat pump systems, HECS verifies the as-found charge against the manufacturer submittal. Required on most EarthCraft HVAC verification paths.
Equipment efficiency (SEER, EER, HSPF, AFUE) verified against the energy model and the manufacturer submittal. Required for the equipment-efficiency credit.
Verification of the water-conservation fixtures (low-flow toilets, low-flow showerheads, low-flow aerators) against the program target. Documented at pre-drywall and final.
Verification of the mechanical ventilation rate, the bathroom and kitchen exhaust, the combustion venting, and the indoor air quality features. Required for the IAQ credit on EarthCraft.
A certified EarthCraft report is the deliverable that releases the certification, satisfies the lender, satisfies the green-building goals, and transfers performance risk to a qualified third party.
EarthCraft is recognized by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and most state housing finance agencies as a credible green-building program. The EarthCraft certification report is the deliverable that satisfies the lender, releases the green-building premium, and supports the appraisal.
EarthCraft is widely adopted on affordable housing, LIHTC, HUD, and USDA multifamily projects. HECS delivers EarthCraft as part of the full affordable housing stack — ENERGY STAR, NGBS, 45L — with one schedule and one team.
EarthCraft Multifamily is a dedicated program path for multifamily buildings of all heights, with sampling per RESNET 380, common area plus dwelling unit documentation, and the full lender-acceptable certification. HECS delivers the multifamily path on 4-story and above multifamily across the region.
Field-measured performance that matches the engineer’s design intent — verified, documented, and accepted by the certification program of record.
EarthCraft certified buildings use 15–30% less energy and water than code-built baselines. Tenants see lower utility bills, owners see lower operating cost, and the certification becomes a marketing advantage on the lease-up.
A certified third-party report transfers performance risk from the builder to a qualified third party. It is the deliverable that releases the certification, satisfies the lender, and closes out the engagement.
HECS is an NCI-certified testing and balancing firm. We work with general contractors, mechanical contractors, property developers, and certification programs across the region — delivering field measurements, certified reports, and the documentation owners and inspectors actually need.
Every HECS field technician holds current NCI certification. We use calibrated instruments, follow NCI-formatted reporting, and produce the documentation that commissioning authorities, code inspectors, and certification programs accept on the first review.
HECS serves commercial, multifamily, institutional, and light-industrial projects across Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois, and Missouri. We staff jobs of every size — from a single building balance to a 12-building multifamily rollout — with the same team and the same reporting standard.
Blower door, duct leakage, refrigerant charge, combustion analysis, decibel, infrared, TAB, and 45L documentation — HECS delivers all of them. One contract, one schedule, one set of reports that line up with each other and with the certification program of record.
HECS EarthCraft certification is the right fit for:
Tell us about the project — program, scope, schedule — and we will respond with a written proposal inside two business days.
EarthCraft is a green-building certification program administered by the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association and Southface, with program paths for single-family (EarthCraft House), multifamily (EarthCraft Multifamily), and light commercial (EarthCraft Light Commercial) projects. The certification focuses on energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality, and sustainable construction practices.
Yes. EarthCraft is recognized by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and most state housing finance agencies as a credible green-building program. The EarthCraft certification report is the deliverable that satisfies the lender, releases the green-building premium, and supports the appraisal.
Yes. EarthCraft Multifamily is a dedicated program path for multifamily buildings of all heights, with sampling per RESNET 380, common area plus dwelling unit documentation, and the full lender-acceptable certification. HECS delivers the multifamily path on 4-story and above multifamily across the region.
Yes. EarthCraft is commonly bundled with 45L, ENERGY STAR, and NGBS on affordable housing and production-builder projects. HECS delivers EarthCraft + program bundle as a single integrated engagement — one schedule, one team, one set of reports.
EarthCraft is a green-building program with a broader scope (energy, water, IAQ, sustainable practices). ENERGY STAR is focused specifically on energy efficiency. Many projects pursue both — HECS delivers both as a single integrated engagement.
EarthCraft is a regional green-building program administered by the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association. NGBS Green is a national program administered by Home Innovation Research Labs. Both are recognized by lenders; both are accepted on affordable housing projects. HECS delivers both.
Most single-family EarthCraft engagements take one field test day plus two weeks for the certified report. Multifamily EarthCraft projects run longer — HECS provides a project-specific schedule with the proposal.
Yes. EarthCraft requires a blower door test at final for all program paths. HECS runs the blower door test with calibrated Retrotec equipment and reports CFM50, ACH50, and ELA per ASTM E779 or RESNET 380.
The EarthCraft verifier conducts the on-site inspections, runs the certified field tests, signs the certification report, and is the qualified third party of record. HECS verifiers carry current EarthCraft verifier credentials and current calibration certificates on every instrument.
Call (859) 983-7382 or email hecs@hecsusa.com with the project name, address, unit count, program path, and the target certification. HECS responds with a written proposal inside two business days.
NCI-certified TAB that verifies design airflow and water flow at every terminal. Calibrated instruments, certified report.
Whole-building and duct leakage to RESNET, ENERGY STAR Multifamily, NGBS, and code. Blower door + duct tester.
Field verification, sampling, and documentation for ENERGY STAR MFNC. HECS is an ENERGY STAR MFNC verification partner.
Tell us about the project — program, scope, schedule — and we will respond with a written proposal inside two business days.
Free consultation, fast turnaround, and audit-ready reports. Same-day callback during business hours.
Pick a time that works for you. We'll confirm within an hour during business hours. Free consultation, no obligation.