USGBC Takes LEED in Green Home Building

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced the launch of a one-year pilot demonstration of its newest green building rating system, LEED for Homes.

The Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) for Homes Rating System is a voluntary program that will recognize and reward the top 25 percent of green home builders in terms of environmentally sound construction. Much like the commercial building guidelines, new homes built to the LEED standards will be designed and constructed to use less energy, less water and fewer materials. The LEED homes will provide improved indoor air quality through better ventilation and filtration systems design, and improved controls of pollutant sources.

“The residential market is a new area for LEED and USGBC,” said Rick Fedrizzi, USGBC president, CEO and founding chair. “The homes market is in line with our mission of transforming the built environment on all levels. These LEED homes will help lower operating costs, increase home value, reduce maintenance issues and improve indoor environmental quality.”

Providers are local and regional organizations that have been selected to provide technical, marketing and verification support services to builders. The USGBC selected 12 local providers for the pilot. These providers were chosen based on their outstanding qualifications and proven experience in supporting builders in the construction of high performance, sustainable homes. Only these select providers will be eligible to work with the builders in the delivery of LEED for Homes during the yearlong pilot program.

During the pilot phase, the LEED for Homes providers will also be responsible for selecting the appropriate pilot projects. They will verify that the homes built under the LEED rating system meet the system's requirements. Application information is available at www.usgbc.org/leed/homes.