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WaterSense Labeled Homes Program

Home Certification Organization: Green Builder® Coalition

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) WaterSense® program works with Home Certification
Organizations (HCOs) to certify and issue the WaterSense label to homes that meet EPA's criteria for both
water efficiency and performance.

What's in a WaterSense Labeled Home?

All WaterSense labeled homes are independently certified to meet EPA's Mandatory Checklist and be at least
30 percent more water-efficient than a typical new home.





MANDATORY CHECKLIST TO ENSURE QUALITY PERFORMANCE

LEAKS

Q Pressure-loss test on all water supplies detects no leaks

o Free of visible leaks from all fixtures and appliances at point of use or point of connection to water
distribution system

O Toilets

o Bathroom faucets
O Showerheads

o Bathroom tub faucets, i.e., tub spouts
o Kitchen and other sink faucets

o Other fixtures or appliances (e.g., water heaters, clothes washers, dishwashers)

WATERSENSE LABELED PLUMBING FIXTURES

O Toilets

O Bathroom sink faucets
O Showerheads

EFFICIENCY REQUIREMENT

VERIFIED EFFICIENCY

O At least 30 percent more water-efficient than a typical new home (based on national standards and
common design and landscape practices).

What is a Home Certification Organization's Role in Labeling Homes for
WaterSense?

Wthin the WaterSense Labeled Homes Program, HCOs are responsible for quality assurance, verifier training
and oversight, home verification protocols, and reporting. HCOs also maintain their own certification method
(reviewed and approved by EPA) to evaluate a home's water efficiency and determine whether it meets EPA's
efficiency requirement. This WaterSense Approved Certification Method (WACM) can include features such
as water-efficient fixtures, appliances, and systems (e.g., irrigation and hot water delivery) that builders can
include in homes to meet the efficiency requirement. Keep reading to learn more.

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How Builders Can Get Involved:

Are you a builder ready to get started? Partner with WaterSense and visit www.epa.gov/watersense/
watersense-labeled-homes to learn more.


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HCO Profile: Green Builder® Coalition

The Green Builder Coalition is a non-profit membership organization for green building professionals that
provides its members with information and advocacy resources. The Green Builder Coalition also owns the
Water Efficiency Rating Score (WERS)® Program.

Method for Labeling Homes:
Water Efficiency Rating Score
(WERS)® With WaterSense Baselines

WERS is a performance-based water efficiency
program for both new and existing residential
properties that preserves design freedom and
product choice flexibility. Third-party analysis and
data collection is utilized to generate a score and
predict water usage. An eligible property must
meet the WaterSense prescriptive reguirements
and achieve a WERS of 66 or less using
WaterSense baselines.

Scope

WERS is available in the United States and
Canada but can be utilized anywhere in the
world. WERS for WaterSense is currently only
applicable to single-family properties in the

United States.

Builders cannot use the capture and reuse
function of WERS to earn the WaterSense
label. While it does not contribute towards
WaterSense certification at this time, WERS can
accommodate any form of capture and
reuse, including rainwater, graywater,
blackwater, and stormwater.

Alignment With Other
Certification Programs

WERS is an alternative compliance path in the
following green building programs:

•	Built Green Canada

•	Austin Energy's Green Building Program

•	Built Green Washington

WERS is also the basis for the Water Rating Index
(WRI) found within the National Green Building
Standard.

GreenBullder

COALITION

Information for
Verifiers

Training is available for those who wish to
become WERS Verifiers.The verifier course
includes both classroom and field training, along
with a written and field exam.

Online and in-person training is offered.To
register for the online course, please visit
https://certifiedratinasproaram.thinkific.com/
bundles/wers-for-watersense-curriculum

For in-person training options, please contact
Laureen at lb@areenbuildercoalition.ora.
Minimum class size is 5 and maximum

class size is 12.

For more information about Green Builder Coalition, visit:
www.greenbuildercoalition.org.



&EPA

EPA-832-F-22-XXXX
SEPTEMBER 2022


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