Posts Tagged ‘LEED’

‘Green built’ certified is a blanket term used to refer to any building that has been built with the environment and ecology in mind, using environment-friendly materials, and with sustainability and energy efficiency at it’s core.  Essential a building or any structure that has been ‘green built’ is built to minimize the impact it has on the environment by taking measures to curb effects known to cause maximum damage to the environment.

In the US, however, ‘green built’ certification is a highly evolved rating system created and dispensed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It’s known as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The LEED rating system developed by the USGBC is a sophisticated system that rates buildings (new and under-construction) on five main criteria that make the most impact on the environment. In order to achieve LEED certification, buildings need to score a minimum of 40+ points out of a possible 100. Depending on the type of building, each of the 5 criteria are given weighted points depending on how much impact they have on the environment, and the system clearly informs individuals on what measure to take to gain points. LEED certification is divided into 4 levels: Certified (40+), Silver (50+), Gold (60+), Platinum (80+). Individuals can do as much, or as little as they’d like.

To making building green easier, the USGBC provides LEED certified and trained construction professionals whose services individuals can solicit to help them understand the rating system, and meet its criteria with ease.  

While it began as an initiative of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)and the US Department of Energy (DoE), Energy Star is now a internationally recognized rating system for all energy efficient electronic appliances. Simply put – when an electronic appliance (any appliance) has the Energy Star logo, it has been certified to use energy efficiently, cutting down consumption by almost 20-30% than non-certified product and along with that, cutting down the bills of the consumer as well. In fact, according to recently released statistics, in the year 2008, Americans who purchased and used Energy Star certified products reduced their energy consumption and thus greenhouse gas emissions by a quantity that could be equivalent to emissions by 29 million cars AND saved $19 billion in utility bills.

Almost every popular electronic product – be it for consumer, industrial, commercial or peripheral use can and is certified by Energy Star, making it very easy for anyone to do their bit for the environment. Also, using Energy Star certified products is an easy way to gain some credits if you’re looking at getting your building LEED certified. So when you’re looking and remodeling or redevelopment of your home or property, going green becomes very easy with Energy Star. Just look for the logo on every piece of electronic equipment you buy. Also, the Energy Star website provides lots of resources and step by step guides on how to make your home energy-efficient without superhuman efforts.

The passive house standard for the best energy efficiency your home could have.

The Passive House standard (passivhaus in German) is a very strict and rigorous standard for energy efficiency in homes and other closed structures. Passive House standards lay down guidelines for creating houses that have ultra low energy requirements for their cooling and heating creating highly energy efficient structures. Passive House standard is often confused with Passive solar building design. Although both look at same ends – creating energy efficient buildings – passive solar building design is one of the techniques involved in creating a house that meets the Passive House standards. As such, Passive House can be said to be a broader building concept when it comes to green building.

The unique feature of houses created using the Passive House standard is that they save up to 90% heating costs, largely by employing passive solar techniques and excellent insulation and ventilation systems, AND it is possible to create such a house even in regions with relatively little sunlight at costs that can equal those of regular homes. In fact, passive houses are largely found in European, specifically Scandinavian countries, where sunlight is much less than what may be thought desirable to induce solar heating. Thus, it is easily possible to execute such a system in the kind of weather we have and more importantly, to make it sustainable.

Also, because of the kind of ‘air-tightness’ and insulation these houses provide, the indoor air quality of a passive house is much better than what is found in other houses (That’s one more credit on the LEED rating system in your pocket)

Andersen is a popular name among homeowners and architects in the US when it comes to windows and doors. Whether green building and energy efficient homes interest you or not – Andersen is still the choice of many for their homes because of the quality, design finish and features of the windows and doors they manufacture. Andersen’s range of windows and doors have earned the SCS Indoor Advantage Gold Certification for Indoor Air Quality, by meeting the strictest emission guidelines in the US, making all of their products eligible among all other environmental rating programs – LEED included. Andersen 100 series is one such product range.

The 100 series windows have Andersen’s hallmark feature – energy efficient Low E glass that meet the energy star requirements. Along with this, the windows are partly made from reclaimed wood fibre (40%) and reclaimed glass (12%). However, this doesn’t compromise durability, as the windows are twice as strong and rigid as vinyl. The 100 series windows come in 4 different exterior colours – cocoa bean, terratone, sandtone and white. It offers a combination of sizes, shapes and styles to suit every architectural need.

At Laupen Homes, we’ve been using the cocoa bean windows for a current project in Olympia – the Cooper residence. The best thing about these windows is that they can be painted, an option not available with vinyl. Our experience so far has been great – it makes a great alternative to vinyl and we plan to use it again.

There’s more – Products of the 100 series are eligible for a tax credit of up to $1500 if purchased before 31^st December 2010. All customers have to do is preserve the sales receipt and a manufacturer’s certification statement to claim tax credit. 

LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Homes and building are certified as LEED based on a rating system. This rating system encompasses a broad spectrum of criteria. Everything is considered from the location and size of the building to materials and process used to install them. LEED is also the only green type of certification that requires third party verification.

One of the main advantages to LEED over other certifications is that it begins in the design phase. Before plans are drawn up the owners, architects, builder and key sub contractors like HVAC, plumbing and electrical, meet to discuss the design and ways to make the home more efficient and livable. The synergy created in this type of process produces a home that is very livable, healthy, sustainable, and has less impact on the environment.

The disadvantage is the cost. Third party verification requires hiring a LEED consultant to over see the process. LEED also requires a record keeping and inspections & testing through out the building process. All of this can add eight to ten thousand dollars to the cost of the home.

Although it is expensive LEED is clearly to most comprehensive certification process. With the third party verification, the record keeping and the testing done during the building process LEED far exceeds any other certification process available. Owners who buy or build a LEED certified homes defiantly know what they are getting.