Top Truths About LEED for Homes

The LEED for Homes rating system does not compete with existing green homebuilding programs

A recent survey found that there are over 80 local and regional green homebuilding programs in the U.S. The target market for LEED is the top 25 percent of new homes in terms of environmental responsibility; many of the other green homebuilding programs target the other 75 percent of the marketplace. Additionally, USGBC works collaboratively with many of these local programs to promote green homebuilding.

LEED for Homes is for all types of housing

The LEED for Homes program is designed to provide industry best practices greening any new home from affordable to custom to production housing. LEED directly addresses and rewards the inherent resource efficiency of smaller, affordable homes, especially those that are built in more urban settings. A special working group of 45 national affordable housing experts was formed to review the early pilot version of LEED for Homes to assess how well it addressed the unique needs of affordable housing. Several of the first LEED homes to be certified were affordable homes.

LEED also recognizes the unique needs of production homebuilders, and there are many production builders participating in the program.

LEED homes are very cost-effective to build

The net cost of owning a LEED home is the same as a conventional home. A home certified at the basic “certified” level can be built for no additional costs. If there are additional upfront costs they are between 1-5%, depending on the green features the home incorporates.

For an average-priced $300,000 new home, this would be a cost increment of about $10,000 for the additional green measures. When this $10,000 cost increment is amortized over 30 years, the result is an increase in the monthly mortgage payment of approximately $70 per month. This amounts to a cost increase of about $2 per day – for all of the features and benefits of a LEED home (e.g., healthier, more comfortable, more durable, energy-efficient, and environmentally responsible). However, if you also weigh in the approximately 30 percent utility bill savings reported in case studies of existing LEED homes, the utility bill savings are approximately $70 per month.

LEED certification fees vary by Provider

The LEED for Homes Providers work at the local level on USGBC’s behalf to certify LEED homes. The Providers offer in-field, third-party verification services to builders of LEED homes and their certification fees and verification services range from $500 to $2,000. In general, this cost breaks down into three somewhat equal parts: (1) the verification cost, (2) related consulting costs, and (3) travel costs.

It is important to discuss each of these costs with your Provider. In high-volume housing production environments, a HERS-like sampling will be allowed. With sampling allowed at the rate of one in seven homes, verification costs for production builders will be substantially less.

The documentation requirements for LEED are very streamlined, and only require six forms to be completed by the Provider. No additional consultants are required for LEED certification other than the LEED for Homes Provider.

LEED for Homes was developed by hundreds of experts in the building industry

Hundreds of experts have played a role in developing the LEED for Homes program. Builders have played a central role as committee members, reviewers and active pilot participants.

USGBC has worked with the American Society of Interior Designers to develop guidelines to green existing homes

In March 2008, USGBC and ASID launched the REGREEN residential remodeling guidelines. REGREEN is a resource for homeowners, renters, builders and others looking to green their existing homes, from a single room renovation project to the entire house.

There are over 80 local and regional green homebuilding programs in the U.S., but there is no national consistency

There is confusion on what green homebuilding means at a national level. Some local programs are heavily focused on energy efficiency, while others focus more on green materials or occupant health. There is a need for a more-consistent definition for green homebuilding, which is why LEED for Homes was developed. LEED defines a high-performance home by looking at eight categories: energy, water, materials, site selection, indoor environmental quality, location, innovation, and homeowner education.

The LEED for Homes system was designed to include different criteria for various climate regions, precipitation zones, radon zones and termite infestation zones. The program also includes a process for adding a limited number of regionally appropriate LEED points.

Questions?

Please e-mail any questions to leedinfo@usgbc.org or visit www.thegreenhomeguide.org.