LEED for Homes Overview

With all of my experience in LEED, I was under-prepared for the differences in LEED Homes.  I have a better appreciation now for the nuances of the Homes system, and thought I would share with you an overview of LEED Homes, and some of the lessons learned on this project.

LEED for Homes is comprised of eight sections: Innovation in Design Process, Location and Linkages, Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Awareness and Education.  I will briefly describe each of the sections and their intent.  Each section is comprised of design and construction best practices.  Completing the intent and requirements of each of these best practices will help accumulate points in the rating system.  Some best practices are prerequisites that must be completed in order to achieve the rating. 

The Innovation in Design Process in LEED for Homes has several goals. The first is to encourage integrated planning before construction.  This is not a well accepted principle in commercial design, and even less so in residential design.  Integrated design offers opportunities for synergies that can reduce first costs in construction.  The second goal is to plan for durability.  In this process, we identify potential risks to the structure, like moisture, pests, and weather to name a few, and then incorporate protections into the design of the structure.  Finally, the process encourages both excellence in the execution of the project, and thinking of environmental design and construction best practices that have not already been developed. 

The Location and Linkages section relates to the carbon impact of the location of the site.  LEED provides greater incentives for projects located in more urban areas.  This is because the carbon footprint associated with reduced transportation, utility distribution, and access to services has a global impact.  Residents of downtown Chicago can exist happily without owning an auto as all services are within walking distance or near public transportation.  The more remote the location, the more dependent an individual is on a vehicle to gain access to the services they require.   

The Sustainable Sites section deals with how we minimize the impact of our building footprint on the land.  Ideally we try to make the building invisible to the land as if the land existed in pre-European settlement.  How does rain percolate into the ground?  What flora and fauna would we encourage?  How does the color of the building material affect the temperature of the land?  What chemical inputs are can we eliminate? 

Water Efficiency deals with water use both in the building and on the site for irrigation.  We can reduce water use with more efficient plumbing fixtures, and we can even harvest rainwater to use in the flush fixtures and for irrigation.  We can also plant native plants that require very little to no water and avoid any irrigation.  Native plants have had millions of years to figure out how to survive on natural rainfall, and there is no need to supplement their growth with irrigation or chemicals. 

The Energy and Atmosphere section deals with the energy efficiency of the energy consuming devices in the home.  The primary goal is to reduce the demand for energy by developing an energy efficient building envelope, and then installing the most energy efficient energy consuming devices possible.  High efficiency heating, cooling, lighting, and appliances all contribute to minimizing the energy load.  Once the energy load has been minimized, you can begin to add energy production into the mix.  Solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass burners are some of the alternative energy sources that can be integrated.  We selected solar power for this project as we had determined that we did not want to use any fossil fuels as a design ethic, and it seems the most elegant ultimate solution as solar power is the source of all other forms of energy.  Wind power was not a possibility on our site as we are located in a depression and surrounded by tall trees.

The Materials and Resources section encourages us to use materials that have some environmental performance characteristic.  This can be locally sourced, contain recycled content, contain a rapidly renewable material, or have a low VOC content.  LEED Homes recognizes achievement of any one of these sustainability criterion. 

Indoor Environmental Quality is to me the most important of all of the sections.  This affects our health directly by integrating all of the design elements that affect how we interact with our interior environment.  Air quality is of paramount importance.  Since the 1970’s when we began to construct tighter buildings, the term “sick building syndrome” began to enter the lexicon.  We now know that that was the result of the many chemicals that were introduced by building products, furniture, poor design, and poor construction practices.  Dealing with moisture, contaminants, and proper ventilation, by design to compensate for other factors contributes to better health.  Immune disorders, respiratory illnesses, and allergies can be improved by controlling the design and construction of a building.  

Awareness and Education is designed to educate the homeowner about how to use the technology that has been designed into the home, and also to promote green building in the community as an educational outreach.  As the designer and contractor of my own home, I am familiar with every aspect of the building.  I assembled the Operations and Maintenance Manual which is three 3” thick volumes of documents describing every aspect of the building.  I had my mechanical contractor perform a video documentary of the maintenance of the HVAC system, so I have no excuse for not knowing how to operate it.

I often call LEED for Homes the red-headed stepchild of the USGBC.  All of the other rating systems operate in the commercial construction sector.   Having worked in both residential and commercial construction, I can state that the construction vocabulary, skill sets, professionalism, and the capacity to deliver a product are different between the two sectors.  The LEED Homes rating system wisely accommodates these marketplace differences.  There are many aspects of LEED Homes that are justifiably unique to this rating system.  The rating system is simplified by reducing the amount of documentation required, and is facilitated by a team of experts to assist in the process. 

Though I applied the experience I gained through my knowledge of LEED in the commercial sector, I have come to appreciate the LEED for Homes rating system and the capacity it brings to the residential sector to bring about marketplace reforms.  I think the next generation of the rating system will enhance the LEED for Homes brand, and improve the mission of establishing environmental standards for residential design and construction practices.