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Green Building Tools for Tribes

  • Gila River Indian Community Green Building

    Case Study Available.

    Case Study (pdf)
  • Kayenta Township, Navajo Nation

    First Tribal Community in the U.S. to Adopt International Green Building Code
  • Mesa Verde National Park

    Pueblo Cliff Dwellings Lived In for Over 700 Years, from A.D. 600 to 1300.
  • Pinoleville Pomo Nation

    HUD-Funded Green Housing Using Straw Bale and Local Cob Plaster
​Green building, also known as sustainable design, can assist Tribal communities to reduce the impact of construction on the environment while protecting the health, livelihood and culture of Tribal residents. Native Americans were the first green architects and builders of the Americas, and traditional Native American building designs and practices are sustainable. State and local building codes do not apply on Tribal lands, but Tribes have the authority to adopt their own.

About

More information about Tribal Green Building: Learn the Basics, Procuring Green Products & Buildings and Greening Existing Buildings
  • Learn the Basics
  • Procuring Green Products & Buildings
  • Greening Existing Buildings

Tools & Guidance

Woman with electric multi-tester working on solar panels
  • Tribal Green Building Toolkit
  • Building Codes & Guidance

Funding

Woman sitting under eaves of tribal home.
  • Funding Opportunities
  • Sign Up for Funding Updates

Building Types

Solar panels on top of Chumash Casino in California
  • Green Manufactured Housing
  • Greening Tribal Casinos

More Resources

The Potawot Health Village in Arcata, California, featuring a 20-acre Conservation Easement, native plants and a wellness garden.
  • Links to Additional Tribal Green Building Resources

Get the Toolkit

Cover of the Tribal Green Building Toolkit PDF
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on April 22, 2025
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