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3 Ways Homeowners Can Work Toward LEED Certification

by Monica Gomez

As concerns about climate change and the rising cost of electricity continue to mount, government, industry, and consumers look to the green building industry as a leader in sustainability. In fact, industry analysts at McGraw-Hill Construction have estimated that $120 to $145 billion will be spent on eco-friendly green construction/renovation projects for commercial buildings in the United States by 2016. Residential green building has lagged behind commercial, representing just 15 percent of new construction versus 40-48% for commercial in 2015. This should change as more people become aware of the benefits of upgrading a home with sustainability in mind.

While new construction and renovation requires some initial investment to reach LEED certification, with more incentives and education, we can aim to involve more residents in sustainable building practices. Fortunately, governments in many states already incentivize homeowners with property tax credits, and the environmental movement is becoming more accepted by the day. Here are three of the most effective ways that home construction projects can up their green status and qualify for one of the industry’s most lauded environmental certifications, LEED: 1) upgrade or replace your heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system 2) use smart thermostats and 3) participate in demand response (DR) programs.

1. Efficient HVAC Systems

Energy efficiency is a major factor in LEED certification. Since heating and cooling accounts for about 50% of the average home energy bill, reducing electricity used by upgrading your home’s HVAC system is one of the best ways to work towards LEED certification in energy. In fact, there are two categories directly related to HVAC that, combined, can account for a significant amount of points: Energy & Atmosphere and Indoor Environmental Quality. Upgrading to an HVAC unit with top energy efficiency standards might require a good amount of time, energy, research and capital investment, but the payoff is significant in the long run. Outdated HVAC systems not only waste energy, but poorly kept systems are also known to compromise air quality. When upgrading an HVAC system, you can get nearly halfway to LEED certification just by installing a modern, sustainable HVAC unit that is optimized for energy efficiency—and you’ll certainly recoup costs by saving on utility bills in the long run. A win/win!

2. Programmable and Smart Thermostats

Smart and programmable thermostats are another great way to increase sustainability and work towards LEED certification. Programmable thermostats allow homeowners to set an HVAC system to turn on and off on a schedule. Simply programming a 10 to 15 degree more efficient temperature for eight hours when no one is home, or when people are sleeping can save 5% to 15% on a yearly energy bill. Since the average energy bill for an American home is over $2,200 per year, a 10% savings (about $220) is substantial.

While programmable thermostats allow you to schedule temperature settings, “smart” thermostats go several steps further. Because smart thermostats are internet-connected, they let you change the temperature at anytime from anywhere! For instance, if you’re on vacation and there is an unexpected shift in the weather, you can change your home thermostat to save energy. Third-party reports have shown that EcoFactor’s smart thermostat with home energy management services provides an additional 6% home energy savings over programmable ones – that’s an extra $100 per year or more over a programmable thermostat.

When it comes to using thermostats toward LEED certification, you can earn one credit for simply having a thermostat. You can really get LEED points by minimizing the amount of energy the home uses. Overall, between 1 and 10 points can be earned for optimizing energy performance. Smart thermostats maximize these savings by targeting the biggest energy user in the home – HVAC. The cost savings over a year alone make the investment well worth it for your pocketbook as well as being green and reaching your LEED certification.

3. Demand Response

Participating in demand response programs can also garner you more LEED points. Demand response is a voluntary program in some utility territories where consumers reduce their electricity usage during peak periods in response to financial incentives and utility signals. This allows utilities to reduce the use of expensive and polluting “peaker” power plants that are used rarely on very high demand days. It also reduces the need to build additional electrical grid infrastructure if these peakers are not needed. For the consumer, they turn down the thermostat – or let the smart thermostat do it for them – for a couple hours a few days each summer and often receive additional compensation for this! The fourth and newest version of LEED certification also offers up to two points for projects that participate in demand response programs.

In an effort to increase participation in demand response and smart grid programs, the U.S. Green Building Council and the Environmental Defense Fund created the Demand Response Partnership Program, which connects utility companies and technology solution providers like EcoFactor with the owners and managers of LEED-certified structures. The goal of the program is to increase participation in demand response and smart grid programs, thus saving energy on a large scale. Southern California Edison and NV Energy are the official utility hosts of the program. If your building is LEED-certified and you are a customer of either utility, you can take a short survey to learn more about the financial incentives of participating in the program to see how you may benefit. Overall, participation in demand response is a low-cost, low-effort way to get closer to LEED certification that many customers don’t take advantage of.

Greater Savings with Smart Home Systems

While upgrading and installing energy saving systems comes with an upfront cost, the money you save over time will make the investment well worth it. LEED certification is a good guide for what high impact projects might be right for you and provides options you may not have known about. If your home or office isn’t LEED-certified yet, you should consider taking advantage of these and other smart home heating and cooling technologies to save money on your utility bill and reduce your carbon footprint. Check out all the different ways to upgrade a home for LEED status, and consider the benefits that LEED offers for both the planet and your pocketbook!

LEED Certification Background

The nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program sets the standard for the best green building strategies and practices. Certifications for construction projects are offered at different levels: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

When applying for a LEED Home Certification, there are different categories for different buildings, and you earn points for different sustainability categories. The type of home and number of points determines your level of LEED certification. The minimum for home certification is generally 40 to 45 points, depending on building type.

The benefit of being a LEED member is that your sustainable building will be recognized as being legitimately green, you’ll receive property tax credits, and you’ll become a part of a large network of people all advocating for a more sustainable world. You’ll also receive technical support, customer service, updates about cutting-edge technology, and the option to upgrade and improve within a verified network of standards.


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