LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most well-known, visible rating system for energy efficient, high performance buildings today. A program of the US Green Building Council, LEED is taking the lead in educating professionals and consumers in the green building movement.
Can a timber frame home be LEED certified? Absolutely. LEED for Homes awards certification based on point totals in eight categories. Categories include:
An important first step in building a LEED timber frame home is to interview and hire a LEED architect registered in your state to design your home. After you have a timber frame design, your architect will help you find a qualified builder to construct the timber frame home and document certification points throughout the construction process. When the home is completed, a certified Rater inspects, tests, and certifies the home as Certified (45.0 points), Silver (60.0 points), Gold (75.0 points) and Platinum (90.0 points).
Energy savings is just one of the benefits of a LEED certified home. A green home that reaches a LEED Certified or LEED Silver status will enjoy a 30% reduction in energy usage over a conventional home. A LEED Gold home increases that savings significantly, using 48% less energy, while a LEED Platinum status home can see the biggest energy reduction - 50%-60%. (Home Energy Rating System (HERS) scores compared with International Energy Conservation Code standards).
Jeremy Bonin, AIA NCARB LEED AP
Registered in NH, VT, ME, MA, NY, RI, and PA
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