The following article is useful for understanding the various green certifications:

Home Energy Certification (reprint excerpted from Upstream Construction)

EarthCraft and LEED for Homes certifications require third party performance testing of the house and systems including the Blower Door test (measuring the integrity of the thermal envelope) and the Duct Blaster test (measuring the integrity of the duct work). Upstream has two team members that have achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) professional accreditation by demonstrating a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles, and the LEED rating system.

Energy Star certification requires that a Thermal Bypass Checklist be completed by a third party. The Checklist requires visual inspection of framing areas where air barriers are commonly missed and inspection of insulation to ensure proper alignment with air barriers to ensure that air and thermal barriers are continuous and complete.

These three well respected certifications work together. Energy Star sets high standards for appliances, lighting and energy efficiency. EarthCraft is a very good all-around standard and has the benefit of being tailored to our mixed humid climate in Virginia. LEED for Homes is a stringent national standard for those wanting the very best in high performance homes. The LEED for Homes standard is driving the industry to update existing products to make them healthier, to create new products and technologies, and to adopt practices that will transform how buildings are constructed for a sustainable future.

Certifications are something that consumers can look for to readily identify homes that are proven to be superior to conventional homes by third-party inspection and performance testing. The certifications confirm that the home is constructed to meet the highest health, sustainability and energy efficiency criteria and is truly a high performance home.