LEED Development: What You Should Know

Developed by the US Green Building Council, or USGBC, LEED is a system of certifying certain homes as efficient or sustainable.  The regulations provide a set of guidelines for builders to follow as they construct – keeping in mind the eco-friendly and green practices like saving energy and water, reducing CO2 emissions, improving indoor environmental quality and respecting resources and the impact on the environment from harvesting those resources.

How a Building is Certified LEED

The certification works on a 100 point system, where a building is assigned a certain number of points for each aspect of building.  These include sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environment quality.  Bonus points are offered in two categories, including innovation in design and regional priority.  The total amount of points that can be awarded is 110.  A building can be LEED Certified with just 40 points, while with 50+ points it will be certified silver, 60+ points will certify it gold and 80+ points will certify it platinum.  The scale works like this:

• Sustainable Sites = 21 Points
• Water Efficiency = 11 Points
• Energy & Atmosphere = 37 Points
• Materials & Resources = 14 Points
• Indoor Environmental Quality = 17 Points

EXTRA POINTS:

• Innovation in Design = 6 Points
• Regional Priority = 4 Points

Total Points: 110 Points

Builders Focusing on LEED Certification

As more and more individuals become aware of the stress on the environment and the options they have to lessen that stress, more of them are demanding alternative options.  It’s more common now than ever for individuals to request homebuilders that are familiar with and committed to building to LEED standards.  There are many builders that fit into this category, including:

• John Desmond Builders, Inc. out of Connecticut
• Peter Erickson (Mosier Creek Homes)
• Laupen Homes, LLC
• And Many More…

‘LEED-ing’ Older Homes

Many things can be done to improve the ‘greenness’ of older homes. One of the easiest things is replacing water fixtures  such as installing low-flow toilets and faucets and energy efficient hot water heaters.  Using gray water or rain water for watering plants is another great option.  Individuals can install Energy Star windows to block out summer heat and reduce energy usage, and take advantage of solar or wind power in order to save more energy.

While there are a number of things that can be done to increase the eco-friendly aspect of older home, the LEED certification is strictly for new constructions.  With determination, however, homeowners can modify their homes to be just as eco-friendly as the LEED certified new constructions.

It shows responsibility and awareness for the bigger picture when individuals and businesses make a commitment to build to LEED specifications.  By choosing LEED certified build sites, using recycled or sustainable materials in the build, creating eco-friendly systems throughout the home or building and installing eco-friendly fixtures and appliances, individuals can create a home or building that will qualify for LEED certification.

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