Introduction to LEED^® for Homes

What are green homes?

The environmental impact of the residential industry is significant. There are more than 120 million homes in the US, and about 2 million additional homes are constructed each year. Residences account for 55% of the total energy consumed in the US and 74% of the water. Indoor air pollutants can often be four to five times higher than outdoor levels. Twenty-one percent of US carbon dioxide emissions are contributed by the residential sector. The considerable impact on the environment created by homes necessitates a shift toward more sustainable residences.

Green home building addresses these issues promoting the design and construction of homes that have much higher performance levels than conventional homes (i.e., homes that are built to the minimum building codes). Generally, green homes are healthier, more comfortable, more durable, and more energy efficient. And of course, they also have a much smaller environmental footprint than conventional homes.

The features of a green home are established and proven technologies that do not have a significantly large cost. Many green measures will actually reduce long term costs, particularly those features that involve energy and water efficiency. Ideally, the additional costs of a green home can be substantially offset by their lower operating costs. The home building industry is beginning to recognize the value of environmentally responsible projects, and creating standards for green homes will help facilitate a wider embrace of sustainable design.

The LEED^® Green Building Rating System

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) established LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) as a system to define and measure “green buildings.” The LEED Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, market-driven building rating system based on existing proven technology that derives market strength and credibility through industry-wide development of the LEED products.. After the initial pilot launch of LEED in 1998, LEED has evolved and branched out to include: LEED for New Construction, LEED for Existing Buildings, LEED for Commercial Interiors, and LEED for Core & Shell. LEED for Homes is bringing the successes of the LEED rating system to the residential market.

Overview of LEED for Homes

LEED for Homes is an initiative designed to actively promote the transformation of the mainstream home building industry toward more sustainable practices. LEED for Homes is targeting the top 25% of new homes with best practice environmental features. LEED for Homes is a collaborative initiative that actively works with all sectors of the home building industry.

By recognizing sustainable design, construction, and operations practices in homes nationwide, LEED for Homes helps home builders to differentiate their homes as some of the best homes in their markets, using a recognized national brand. Furthermore, home buyers will be able to readily identify high quality green homes, simply by selecting LEED Homes. 

While there are already a number of local or regional green home building programs, LEED for Homes is attempting to provide national consistency in defining the features of a green home and to enable builders anywhere in the country to obtain a ‘green’ rating on their homes. LEED for Homes represents a consensus standard for green home building developed and refined by a diverse cadre of national experts and experienced green builders. The LEED for Homes rating system is part of the comprehensive suite of LEED assessment tools offered by USGBC to promote sustainable design, construction, and operations practices in buildings nationwide.

The LEED for Homes rating system uses eight different resource categories to measure the overall performance of a home:

1. Innovative Design—the category for recognition of a home meeting an intent not already defined in the Rating System or exceeding the maximum performance set out in a particular credit.
2. Location and Linkages—the placement of homes in socially and environmentally responsible ways in relation to the larger community.
3. Sustainable Sites—the use of the entire property in such a way to minimize the impact on the site.
4. Water Efficiency—the water conservation practices (both indoor and outdoor) built into the home.
5. Indoor Environmental Quality—the improvement of indoor air quality by reducing possible air pollution.
6. Materials and Resources—the minimization of materials used during construction, recycling of construction materials, and the durability measures.
7. Energy and Atmosphere—the improvement of energy efficiency particularly in the building envelope and heating and cooling design.
8. Awareness and Education—the education of homeowner or tenant about the operations and maintenance of the green features of his / her home.

The LEED for Homes rating system works by awarding credits for different aspects of environmental design in each of the above categories. The “shade of green,” or the level of performance achieved in the above categories, is separated into four performance tiers. LEED for Homes will rate qualified homes at the Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum levels according to how many points the home achieves in the Rating System. .

LEED for Homes Performance Levels

The rating system is designed to guarantee minimum levels of sustainable practices through the 15 Prerequisites (or Mandatory Measures) across eight categories. At the same time, the rating system also ensures flexibility for the builders with the wide variety of optional credits available to achieve the four LEED for Homes performance levels. Credit Interpretation Requests (CIRs) are also available to projects that need clarification or special consideration on specific credits.

Does LEED for Homes include affordable and multifamily homes?

LEED for Homes includes both affordable single family and low-rise multifamily projects of three floors and below. Exactly how mid-rise multifamily projects will ultimately be addressed by LEED for Homes will be examined during a separate pilot phase for this housing type, scheduled to run through the end of 2007. Mid-rise multifamily housing structures between four and six stories may be eligible to participate in this pilot phase, and project managers should contact USGBC at (202) 828-77422 for further information. Also, multifamily housing structures that are over three stories are currently eligible to participate in LEED for New Construction (LEED-NC).

Does LEED for Homes include the renovation of existing homes?

LEED for Homes was designed to assessment the level of green-ness of newly constructed homes. It cannot be used to assess the green-ness of a portion of a home. So only substantial or “gut” rehab project may be included in LEED for Homes at this time. The partial rehabilitated homes cannot be rated under LEED for Homes.

Where can I find out more about green home building?

There are many green home building resources available on the internet. For more information about LEED for Homes, please contact leedinfo@usgbc.org

Or visit the US Green Building Council website at www.usgbc.org/leed/homes