The National Association of Home Builders and the National Association of Realtors launched a new joint initiative, Home Performance Counts, designed to help consumers better understand the rapidly growing high-performance home marketplace - homes that prioritize comfort, durability, wellness and affordability. Demand has expanded over recent years, with the number of these homes certified to the National Green Building Standard increasing by more than 57% since 2017.

"With today's homebuyers looking for healthier, more efficient homes, America's 1.4 million Realtors are proud to join forces with the National Association of Home Builders to build rapport and highlight the benefits of home performance to U.S. consumers," said NAR president Vince Malta, broker at Malta & Co, Inc., in San Francisco, CA. "Clients come to our members looking for the very best home they can afford, and with green building practices often leading to homes that are more durable and require less maintenance, NAR is excited to strengthen our partnership with NAHB to help more Americans find the high performing, efficient home of their dreams."

Through their joint Home Performance Counts initiative, NAHB and NAR have come together to offer a comprehensive resource that educates consumers on the qualities and benefits of high-performance homes and facilitates communication on home performance between buyers, builders and real estate agents. As these practices continue to evolve, NAHB and NAR will also provide regular updates and new resources that examine the most recent market trends and sustainability research.

"Home Performance Counts provides a common ground for our two organizations to work together to raise awareness of the benefits of green homes and the key role home builders and real estate agents can play in the home-buying process to ensure buyers get the high performance home of their dreams," said NAHB chairman Chuck Fowke, a custom home builder from Tampa, Fla. "Builders and Realtors will also benefit from using a common language and having access to the latest trend data and information."

Home Performance Counts is an educational initiative developed jointly by NAHB and NAR to position their respective members for success in the expanding marketplace for high performance homes. For more information, visit HomePerformanceCounts.info.