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WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
The LEED for Homes program is part of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification and was launched officially by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2008. It’s a voluntary program that applies to single-family and low- to mid-rise multifamily buildings.
The LEED for Homes process certifies home projects, not builders or products, although certain products can help projects earn certification. The program measures a builder’s approach to such issues as innovation and design, locations and linkages, sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and awareness and education.
| Certification Levels |
Required Points |
| Certified |
45-59 |
| Silver |
60-74 |
| Gold |
75-89 |
| Platinum |
90-136 |
| Total Available |
136 |
LEED for Homes differs from other certification programs in that it’s consensus-based, developed and continually refined by a committee of national experts and USGBC member input. The scoring system is comprehensive, with a multi-form certification application. A home can score a maximum of 136 points, meriting a Platinum certification; a minimum of 45 points is needed for a standard certification.
Local LEED for Homes providers walk through a checklist, provide onsite home inspections, and submit data to the USGBC for certification.
A builder’s cabinetry choices influence scoring in two credit categories. Under Materials and Resources, LEED for Homes measures “environmentally preferable products,” considering such issues as low emissions, local production, and a preference for “purchased wood [that] is either not tropical, FSC-certified, or reclaimed.” The other credit category affected, Indoor Environmental Quality, measures contaminant control, such as formaldehyde in cabinet manufacturing.
| Credit Category |
Prerequisites
(Mandatory)
Measures |
Minimum
Point
Requirements |
Maximum
Points
Available |
| Innovation & Design Process |
3 |
0 |
11 |
| Sil Location & Linkages |
0 |
0 |
10 |
| Sustainable Sites |
2 |
5 |
22 |
| Water Efficiency |
0 |
3 |
15 |
| Energy & Atmosphere |
2 |
0 |
38 |
| Materials & Resources |
3 |
2 |
16 |
| Indoor Environmental Quality |
7 |
6 |
21 |
| Awareness & Education |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| Total |
18 |
16 |
136 |
According to the USGBC, more than 2,500 homes were LEED-certified by August 2009, and more than 17,000 had applied for certification. The increasing interest in the LEED program isn’t surprising because the certification is considered not only environmentally friendly but also can be cost-effective. Based on Home Energy Rating System testing, LEED-certified homes offer as much as a 30-percent energy savings compared to homes built under the traditional IECC (International Energy Conservation Code). LEED Platinum-certified homes offer a potential 60-percent savings.
The USGBC has developed a website targeted to homebuilders and consumers — www.greenhomeguide.org — to convey the benefits of the LEED program, offer green resources, and address specific questions about LEED-certified homes. Homebuilders often use the LEED certification as a selling tool aimed at increasingly green-conscious consumers.
On April 27, 2009, the USGBC introduced LEED Version 3, or LEED v3. While this updated tool modifies portions of the original LEED program, the rating system for homes didn’t change. However, according to the USBGC, the next version of LEED for Homes is now being developed.
WANT MORE INFORMATION?
[ View a printable LEED for Homes PDF ]
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