Are you a green builder? If you maximize energy efficiency, minimize construction waste or use renewable resources such as wood, you already build green to some degree.

Gone are the days when green building was the domain of high end niche builders. You no longer have to be an expert. The only requirement is a willingness to seek out the information you need to get the job done — which isn't as hard as it sounds.

As green building's popularity has grown, two organizations in particular have stepped in to facilitate the participation of mainstream builders.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the Green Building Initiative (GBI) are working together to promote the NAHB's Model Green Home Building Guidelines. The goal is to work with local Home Builder Associations to adapt the guidelines based on their own regional needs — and, in so doing, to promote practical and affordable options for building green.

For information on these organizations and their activities, or on the Green Globes environmental assessment and rating system for commercial buildings, please click Green Building News.