USGBC-LI presents "How Do You Define Green?" and an analysis of the LEED for Homes rating system

"How Do You Define Green?" was the title of a presentation sponsored by the Long Island chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. Held in the large seminar theater at the Sheraton Long Island, the event attracted a crowd that filled the room to near capacity. A true cross section of Long Island's building community turned out, including architects, engineers, project managers, builders, developers, town officials, designers, product manufacturers, home energy raters, and the like. What followed was a lively discussion on both the many benefits, as well as some of the perceived shortcomings of the LEED for Homes residential green building rating system. USGBC's new LEED for Homes program is a voluntary consensus-based rating system that promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes, including affordable housing, mass-production homes, custom designs, standalone single-family homes, duplexes and townhouses, suburban low rise apartments, urban high-rise apartments and condominiums and lofts in historic buildings. LEED for Homes was developed as a tool to assess the overall performance of a new green home. One of the many challenges faced by a home buyer is comparing a green home to another home. Any one home can be called green, but how does the homeowner know that it is really green? With more than half of Long Island's Towns now requiring homes to be Energy Star labeled, the local building community has certainly made great strides toward a more responsible approach to energy efficiency. An Energy Star labeled home uses less energy and saves valuable resources. Recognizing this contribution, the LEED for Homes program has chosen to use Energy Star as its foundation respecting energy efficiency. However, energy efficiency alone does not necessarily make for a green home. A green home uses less energy, water, and natural resources, creates less waste, and is healthier for the people living inside. LEED for Homes addresses all of these issues. LEED homes are safer, healthier, more comfortable, and more durable than conventional homes. The benefits of a LEED home include economic benefits such as lower energy and water bills, environmental benefits like reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and health benefits such as reduced exposure to mold, mildew, and other indoor toxins. Even better, the net cost of owning a LEED home is comparable to that of owning a conventional home. LEED certification is something that consumers can look for to readily identify homes that have been third-party inspected, performance tested and certified as truly green homes that will perform better than standard homes. Homebuilders using LEED are able to differentiate their homes as some of the best on the market. Throughout this decade the LEED rating system has quickly grown to be recognized as the standard by which green building is defined. Versions of this standard are in use both nationally and internationally. The value of this recognition and the confidence consumers place in the LEED rating system was not lost on our audience. There seemed to be general agreement that there are numerous reasons to build using LEED for Homes, especially in a building climate that may have little tolerance for anything less than a best effort. The concerns heard were not with respect to why, but how (and more directly, how it can be done economically). Maureen Mahle, LEED for Homes program provider from the Connecticut-based Steven Winter Group, answered many of these questions at the USGBC-LI presentation. "One of the most effective ways to control costs on any LEED project is by assembling an experienced green team and employing an integrated design approach when determining what green measures to incorporate," said Vince Capogna, the co-chair of USGBC-LI's advocacy committee. "The provider can do much to help achieve this goal. An increasing number of homes are being built with green incorporated into their design, however green features do not necessarily add up to a green home. Gaining the full benefits of a green home requires a holistic integration of green building knowledge, materials, and technologies. LEED provides a framework for 'whole building design' that enables collaboration between design professionals, builders, and other parties to optimize the performance of the home," said Capogna. As Capogna pointed out, we spend nearly 90% of our time indoors. Airborne pollutants are two to five times higher indoors than outdoors, so it's important to consider that green homes have reduced exposure to mold, mildew, and other indoor toxins, reducing health-care costs. It is predicted that green homes will be on the market for less time and possibly have a higher resale value, according to the 2007 McGraw-Hill SmartMarket Report on Attitudes & Preferences for Remodeling and Buying Green Homes. They may even be able to receive direct financial incentives, better financing options, and reduced insurance premiums. "Consumers are currently being bombarded by 'green' in the media," said Capogna. "This past Valentines Day I turned on my computer and was confronted with an article on how to green your sex life! Given the sheer amount of nonsense that can potentially drown out truly important issues, it is vitally important that consumers know where they can turn. LEED certification is something that consumers can look for to readily identify green homes that have been third-party inspected, performance tested, and certified to perform better than conventional homes."