Staff Report

Published July 15, 2009

The Green Building Council of Greater Columbia will present the first Green Home Expo this Thursday at the Medallion Center in Columbia.

The event will feature exhibits from local and national companies focusing on green products and services for the home. Admission is free. The expo will open from 4 to 8 p.m.

In addition to the more than 30 exhibitors showing their products and services, the expo will feature a short break-out session at 6 p.m. presented by members of the Green Building Council of Greater Columbia.

The session will explain what to look for in a green home, the advantages of living in a home that is built to green standards, and how to identify if a house is certified green in a recognized, third-party verified program.

The Green Building Council of Greater Columbia currently recognizes two programs used to certify green construction in our area: the Build Green Greater Columbia program and the NAHB Green program.

A list of local homes certified in each of these programs is available at the council Web site. In the coming months, the council is planning on expanding its list of recognized green building programs and further reducing any confusion involved in identifying a certified green home.

For more information on the Green Home Expo, visit www.columbiagreenbuilders.com and click on the expo logo, or call (803) 256-6238.