Confused about how to make your home “green?” Finally, there will be a code to work from when contracting to build an energy-efficient home or remodel an existing home. The U.S. Green Building Council has long had its LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)certification program for commercial and public buildings. As of November 8, they will also offer a LEED-H or LEED for Homes code to guide builders and buyers in the quest for the environmentally designed, energy-efficient home. The LEED-H certification has eight categories in which a house is scored, including the building process, siting of the home, materials used, efficiency, indoor air quality, and how well the homeowner is educated on green living. The new program will certify builders so that consumers can find knowledgeable contractors. LEED-H builders can display the certification earned by their homes. Certification runs from silver to gold to platinum, depending on the score the home receives in the eight categories combined. It looks like there will be genuine incentive and tracking measures in place to show that builders and buyers are moving toward greener living.
Credit: New Green Guidelines
