Twin Cities Builders Association taking former partner to court
The Builders Association of the Twin Cities is taking its former partner, Minnesota GreenStar, to court.
The two groups worked with others for three years to create a cold-weather green-building certification program.
Last month, the builders group announced it was leaving the partnership, and now it claims it owns the design standards.
GreenStar President Sean Morrissey said he doesn't understand why the builders group is challenging a program that offers builders a lot of resources.
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"There's actually computer modeling programs in which you can do building forensics, to test durability and how moisture moves through walls, and most of these large builders aren't taking advantage of the building science that's available," Morrissey said.
Morrissey said in other markets, certified homes are selling well.
"Those homes are selling for 5 to 10 percent more, and they're on the market for 24 percent less, so having a third-party-certified home is a real asset for a homeowner," he said.
In a statement, the Builders Association says it can serve the new home construction industry better by working on its own.