Currently, to have a home certified, a building or homeowner must go through a LEED Home Provider. Chrisner Group can assist the project team in assessing if LEED Homes is the appropriate and most applicable process to go through based on the project’s specific value proposition. Whether or not you use LEED Homes to measure the performance, Chrisner Group can assist the Homeowner, the Architect, Engineer, Interior Designer and Builder as an Integrated Project Manager (IPM). This third party independent IPM acts as an Owner’s Representative for the new construction of a residence and ensures the highest performance within the Triple Bottom line budget and the best environmental attributes are established and implemented.

Green construction is becoming a large movement all around the world. Green design, also called sustainable design or eco-design, is the use of non-toxic, natural materials in the construction of a home or business. Most green programs involve the use of recycled materials, resource conservation of water and energy, natural landscaping and other features that minimize damage to the environment. Many cities and counties are now requiring that new residential and commercial buildings meet a certain green standard. Green buildings can also offer improved indoor air quality (IAQ), water and air filtration and a healthier indoor environment.

Unlike energy efficiency programs, green building programs look at environmental features such as site selection, construction impact on the environment, transportation, materials choices/usage and water in addition to energy efficiency.

NAHB: The NAHB Green Home Building Guidelines is a green building certification program through the National Association of Homebuilders. This third-party verified program contains six primary sections: Lot Preparation & Design, Resource Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency/ Conservation, Occupancy Comfort & Indoor Environmental Quality and Operation Maintenance & Education. A minimum number of points are required in each section to achieve the Bronze, Silver or Gold levels of ‘Green’. Third-party verifiers accredited by the NAHB Research Center confirm requirements are met through plan review, document review and on-site inspections.

LEED for Homes: The US Green Building Council’s LEED for Homes uses a third-party system of verification for their program. The program has eight different categories to measure home performance: Innovation & Design, Location & Linkages, Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Awareness & Education. A minimum of 45 out of 136 points are required to achieve a Certified level and increasing numbers of points are required to achieve the Silver, Gold and Platinum levels. Some of the prerequisites involved in a LEED-H certification include durability planning, erosion controls during construction, Energy Star verification, efficient framing, diversion of waste from landfills, and closed/power exhaust DWH and furnace. All points achieved for LEED-H are verified and documented by either the third-party rater or responsible professional. All documentation is then sent to a LEED-H Provider who will make the final decision on certification. LEED-H is targeted towards the top 25% of new home builders who are already building high quality homes beyond the minimum building codes.

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