On November 7, 2007, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) will launch a nationwide, voluntary, green rating system for houses, called "LEED for Homes." LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The system is a national benchmark for design construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. Projects include commercial, community, and educational buildings.
The new rating system was developed by the USGBC, a nonprofit coalition that includes corporations, builders, and government agencies. It will incorporate results from the LEED for Homes pilot program that began in 2005, and will be expanding into more areas of the country.
WHY BUILD A LEED-CERTIFIED HOME?
LEED for Homes certification is a way to show that a new home meets verifiable green building standards. Having a home certified may also allow consumers to take advantage of a growing number of credits and rebates. To find out what's available, check our report on Building a new green home (see the "Costs and incentives" section).
The LEED rating system offers four certification levels for new construction: Certified, Silver, Gold, and the highest level, Platinum. These levels correspond to the number of points earned in eight categories: Innovation and design, location and linkages to the larger community, sustainable sites, water conservation, energy efficiency, materials and resources, indoor air quality, and consumer education.
According to the USGBC, a green home uses less energy, water, and natural resources, reduces waste, and is healthier and more comfortable for the occupants. Financially, the group says that a LEED-certified home can cost less to operate with lower energy and water bills. They also claim that the net cost of owning a certified home is expected to be comparable to that of owning a conventional one.
If energy-savings pan out, the system also has the potential to fight air pollution and global warming if it is adopted on a large scale. Currently, home energy use accounts for about 21 percent of nationwide energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Department of Energy. So far, during the pilot phase alone, more than 8,000 homes across the U.S. have been part of the program, with over 300 gaining certification.
THE FIRST LEED-CERTIFIED HOME IN CONNECTICUT
Homeowners Karen and John Dugan recently built their green home in Connecticut for their retirement years. "At first when we were planning the house, LEED standards were not on our mind," explained John. "But as issues came up with our architect, we felt sustainability in design was important and the right thing to do both for the environment and for future cost-savings."
The architects for the Dugan's green home-Campaigne Kestner Architects, based in Guilford, Connecticut-first applied for LEED-certification under the pilot program. A key feature of the certification process is inspection, testing and verification of the design by an approved LEED for Homes Provider.
For the Dugan home, a building systems consulting firm and LEED for Homes provider, Steven Winter Associates, Inc. of Norwalk, Connecticut, conducted the inspection and testing. After Winter Associates verified that the house met the LEED requirements for a "Gold" rating, the USGBC audited and approved the certification.
The house is the first certified project in Connecticut, and one of just 12 gold-rated homes nationally-very appropriate for the Dugan's golden years.
Find out more:
To learn more about LEED for Homes and to find a LEED accredited provider near your city or state, check the USGBC's Green Home Guide.
For information on other green home building programs, visit our report on Building a new green home.
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