WASHINGTON, May 21 -- A recently completed remodeling project in Munster, Ind., is the first home remodel to earn certification under the National Green Building Standard, the National Association of Home Builders announced last week.

The 1,100-square-foot ranch home built in 1974 was renovated by Lyng Builders, a Franklin, Ill., custom home building and remodeling company, after floodwaters filled the basement as well as two feet of the first floor.

Working within a tight budget to repair substantial structural damage, Lyng Builders also persuaded the home owner to make improvements that can help save on utility bills by decreasing energy and water consumption and to obtain national green certification through the NAHB Research Center, which trains and accredits third-party inspectors.

For projects to be certified, remodelers must address a range of factors, including energy, resource and water efficiency and indoor environmental quality in the newly renovated home.

"With 111 million existing homes, remodeling these energy and water guzzlers must be a top priority to achieve a more efficient housing stock," said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson, a builder and developer in Tulsa, Okla. "NAHB leads the housing industry by helping professionals take advantage of the first and only national standard to certify green remodeled homes."