EarthCraft
EarthCraft is a Southeast U.S. green building certification program, founded in 1999 and operated by Southface Institute and the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, offering six certification tracks across residential, multifamily, commercial, community, renovation, and historic buildings to builders, developers, and property owners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What EarthCraft does
EarthCraft is a regional green building certification program, founded in 1999 and operated as a partnership between the Southface Institute and the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association from Atlanta, Georgia. It serves as a blueprint for energy, water, and resource-efficient buildings throughout the U.S. Southeast, certifying projects against building-science standards tailored to hot-humid climate conditions.
The program offers a portfolio of six certification tracks covering single-family homes (EarthCraft House), low- and mid-rise multifamily (EarthCraft Multifamily), renovations, master-planned communities (EarthCraft Communities), small-scale commercial (EarthCraft Light Commercial), and historic structures (EarthCraft Sustainable Preservation). Certification relies on HERS-based energy modeling, COMcheck verification for commercial projects, proprietary scoring worksheets, and third-party field verification by trained Technical Advisors. EarthCraft has certified more than 50,000 homes and buildings across eight Southeast states over its history, with EarthCraft Multifamily recognized by Fannie Mae for Green Mortgage financing and required by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for affordable housing projects seeking state funding.
EarthCraft generates revenue through tiered project registration fees (e.g., $150 flat for single-family, up to $5,000 for Communities, plus per-unit and per-square-foot pricing for multifamily, commercial, and renovation projects), $275 per-person builder training delivered through Southface Institute, and recurring Technical Advisor membership fees. Go-to-market is sales-led via a regional network of certified builders, Technical Advisors, HVAC contractors, and trained real estate professionals, supported by annual awards, case studies, and industry partnerships. A separate regional partner, Viridiant (formerly EarthCraft Virginia), administers the program in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C.
EarthCraft firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- EarthCraft
- Legal name
- EarthCraft
- Website
- https://earthcraft.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- EarthCraft is a Southeast U.S. green building certification program, founded in 1999 and operated by Southface Institute and the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, offering six certification tracks across residential, multifamily, commercial, community, renovation, and historic buildings to builders, developers, and property owners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
EarthCraft industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Green Building Certification Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Green Building & Energy-Efficient Construction (LEED, Weatherization) (EDAOAAAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House) (IMAFABAH)
Keywords
Where EarthCraft is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
EarthCraft business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Builder Training Fees: EarthCraft Builder Training course fees at $275 per person, with group training available upon request
- Project Registration Fees: Tiered project registration fees based on project type (House, Multifamily, Light Commercial, Communities, Renovation, Sustainable Preservation). Fees range from $150 flat for single family to $5,000 flat for Communities to per-unit fees for multifamily
- Technical Advisor Membership: Annual membership fees for Technical Advisors to maintain qualification and good standing with the program
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Builder Training - $275 per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | EarthCraft House - $150 flat fee |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | EarthCraft Communities - $5,000 flat fee |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | EarthCraft Multifamily - tiered by units and stories |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | EarthCraft Light Commercial - tiered by square footage |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | EarthCraft Renovation - varies by project type |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | EarthCraft Sustainable Preservation - uses underlying program pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
EarthCraft product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EarthCraft is a regional green building certification program that provides a blueprint for energy, water, and resource-efficient construction across the Southeast United States. It certifies single-family homes, multifamily buildings, light commercial spaces, renovations, historic preservation projects, and master-planned communities through third-party verification by trained Technical Advisors using building science standards tailored to the hot-humid Southeast climate. The program also offers professional training for builders, HVAC contractors, real estate professionals, and Technical Advisors.
Product overview
EarthCraft is a green building certification program that serves as a regional standard for energy, water, and resource efficient buildings throughout the Southeast. The program offers a portfolio of certification products under a unified brand: EarthCraft House (single-family homes), EarthCraft Multifamily (multifamily buildings), EarthCraft Renovation (existing structure improvements), EarthCraft Communities (holistic community planning), EarthCraft Light Commercial (small-scale commercial buildings), and EarthCraft Sustainable Preservation (historic buildings). Supporting the certification programs, EarthCraft offers professional training services including Builder Training, Technical Advisor Qualification, Real Estate Professional Training, and HVAC Contractor Training. The program was developed by Southface and the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association in 1999 and has certified over 50,000 homes and buildings across eight Southeast states. Certification involves third-party verification and diagnostic testing, with projects achieving various performance levels and badges based on energy efficiency, health, environment, and comfort criteria.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- EarthCraft House: Green building certification program for single-family detached homes, townhomes and duplexes
- EarthCraft Multifamily
- EarthCraft Communities
- EarthCraft Renovation
- EarthCraft Sustainable Preservation
- EarthCraft Light Commercial
Products and services
- EarthCraft House A residential green building certification program designed for single-family detached homes, townhomes, and duplexes in the Southeast. Provides third-party field verification and diagnostic testing, with homes projected to save 30% on energy bills. Certification is verified through EarthCraft House v2.1 worksheet with optional badges for Performance, Health, Environment, and Comfort.
- EarthCraft Multifamily Green building certification for low-rise and mid-rise multifamily projects including new construction and renovation, addressing environmental performance, indoor air quality, building durability, comfort, and affordability. Recognized by Fannie Mae for Green Mortgage Loans and required by Georgia DCA for affordable housing funding.
- EarthCraft Light Commercial Green building certification for resource-responsible design and construction of small-scale commercial buildings up to 50,000 sq ft (with buildings up to 80,000 sq ft considered). Covers site planning, energy and water efficiency, building durability, and occupant health. Includes ECLC FitOut for interior fit-outs and ECLC Ready for property owners.
- EarthCraft Renovation Certification program for renovations or additions to existing homes, multifamily residences, and light commercial buildings to improve efficiency and maximize performance. Assists in identifying and addressing problems such as uncomfortable rooms, high energy bills, poor indoor air quality, and combustion safety issues.
- EarthCraft Communities Holistic community certification system for sustainably planned and constructed developments. Addresses low-impact development, site selection, land disturbance, water quality and quantity management, energy, transportation infrastructure, community design, and green space preservation. All buildings within an EarthCraft Community must be certified under EarthCraft House, Multifamily, or Light Commercial programs.
- EarthCraft Sustainable Preservation Green building certification program specifically for historic buildings, developed jointly with The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. Evaluates inherent sustainability features and provides guidance on energy and water-efficient upgrades. Designed for historic buildings of 50,000 sq ft or less in the Southeastern US.
- EarthCraft Builder Training A one-day training course that instructs builders on how the EarthCraft program works for single family and multifamily projects. Covers program requirements for design, construction, and program reporting. Includes an open book exam for certification. Pricing is $275 per person with group training available upon request.
- EarthCraft Technical Advisor Qualification Professional qualification program for individuals seeking to become EarthCraft Technical Advisors. Prerequisites include HERS Rater certification, passing RESNET National Rater test, and completing EarthCraft Builder Training. Annual membership fees required to maintain qualification and good standing with the program.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30% energy efficiency improvement vs standard construction
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use EarthCraft
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
EarthCraft technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
EarthCraft partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Southface InstitutecoreCo-developed EarthCraft program in 1999; administers the certification program through its staff and facilities; provides training courses through its education department; headquartered at same location as EarthCraft office.
- Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (GAHBA)coreCo-developed EarthCraft program in 1999 alongside Southface; represents builder members who construct EarthCraft-certified buildings; provides marketing support through its member network.
- Viridiant (formerly EarthCraft Virginia)coreAdministers EarthCraft program in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. area; operates as regional partner organization with increased focus on different aspects of sustainability.
- The Georgia Trust for Historic PreservationmajorCo-developed EarthCraft Sustainable Preservation program - the nation's first green building certification program for historic buildings; Rhodes Hall was the first pilot project; provides preservation expertise and technical guidance.
- Atlanta Regional CommissionminorPartner in launching EarthCraft Communities program in 2005 for sustainably planned and constructed community certification.
- Urban Land Institute Atlanta District CouncilminorPartner in launching EarthCraft Communities program in 2005 for community certification development.
- U.S. Department of EnergyminorPartnered with Southface and EarthCraft to develop Light Commercial Deep Energy Prescriptive Path targeting 25% energy reduction over ASHRAE 90.1-2007.
Scale indicators6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
EarthCraft competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- International Living Future Institute: Operates the Living Building Challenge and Zero Energy certification programs, the most ambitious performance-based certifications for buildings. Sits at the high-performance end of the same market EarthCraft's DOE Zero Energy Ready homes target.
- International WELL Building Institute (IWBI): Operates the WELL building standard focused on occupant health and indoor air quality—a domain EarthCraft highlights (ventilation, low-VOC materials). WELL is an emerging adjacent competitor as ESG/health certifications become more layered on top of energy certifications.
Regional players
- Build It Green: California-based nonprofit operating GreenPoint Rated, a regional green home certification comparable in structure and mission to EarthCraft House. Demonstrates the regional-certification model can sustain scale in a defined geography but is structurally limited outside its home region.
- Viridiant: Formerly EarthCraft Virginia, Viridiant is the regional partner that administers EarthCraft certification in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. It is the closest structural analog to EarthCraft as a separately operated regional certification partner organization.
Direct peers
- NAHB National Green Building Standard: ICC/ASHRAE 700 National Green Building Standard overseen by NAHB provides a national home certification framework for builders, overlapping directly with EarthCraft House. It is the ANSI-accredited standard behind many regional green programs and competes for the same single-family and multifamily builder audience.
- ENERGY STAR (Residential & Multifamily): DOE-backed certification program for energy-efficient new homes, multifamily, and commercial buildings. EarthCraft homes routinely achieve ENERGY STAR alongside their certification, and ENERGY STAR serves as a complementary or substitute pathway for builders pursuing performance validation in the Southeast.
- Passive House Institute US (PHIUS): Operates a performance-based passive building certification for homes and multifamily across the US. PHIUS competes with EarthCraft's high-performance tier and DOE Zero Energy Ready pathway, particularly for builders targeting the most aggressive energy savings specifications.
- Green Building Initiative (GBI): Operates Green Globes, an alternative green building certification for commercial and multifamily properties that competes directly with EarthCraft Multifamily and Light Commercial programs for third-party verified sustainability labeling and is recognized by Fannie Mae among other agencies.
- U.S. Green Building Council (LEED): Operates LEED, the most widely adopted national/international green building certification across residential, multifamily, commercial, and communities. LEED v4/v4.1 covers the same project categories as EarthCraft (Homes, Multifamily, Communities, Commercial), competing for the same builder/developer customers on recognition, financing eligibility, and ESG reporting.
- Enterprise Community Partners (Green Communities): Operates the Green Communities certification for affordable housing, a direct competitor to EarthCraft Multifamily in the affordable housing segment. EarthCraft's Georgia DCA mandate and Fannie Mae recognition are the primary differentiators in this overlapping affordable-housing certification market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
EarthCraft social profiles
Digital presenceEarthCraft compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance9 records
EarthCraft financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EarthCraft leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
EarthCraft subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
EarthCraft funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
EarthCraft M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about EarthCraft
What does EarthCraft do?
EarthCraft is a regional green building certification program that provides a blueprint for energy, water, and resource-efficient construction across the Southeast United States. It certifies single-family homes, multifamily buildings, light commercial spaces, renovations, historic preservation projects, and master-planned communities through third-party verification by trained Technical Advisors using building science standards tailored to the hot-humid Southeast climate. The program also offers professional training for builders, HVAC contractors, real estate professionals, and Technical Advisors.
Is EarthCraft a public or private company?
EarthCraft is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was EarthCraft founded?
EarthCraft was founded in 1999. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is EarthCraft based?
EarthCraft is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does EarthCraft make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Builder Training Fees are the primary driver. The others are project Registration Fees and technical Advisor Membership.
Who are EarthCraft's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are International Living Future Institute and International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). Regional players are Build It Green and Viridiant. Direct peers are NAHB National Green Building Standard, ENERGY STAR (Residential & Multifamily), Passive House Institute US (PHIUS), Green Building Initiative (GBI), U.S. Green Building Council (LEED) and Enterprise Community Partners (Green Communities).
Does EarthCraft have an API?
No public API is recorded for EarthCraft.
What industry is EarthCraft in?
EarthCraft's product category is Green Building Certification Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAOAAAO, Green Building & Energy-Efficient Construction (LEED, Weatherization), with a secondary code of IMAFABAH, Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House).