LEED for Homes & Meadowlark

In addition to using the Passive House building standard on Meadowlark, we are going for the Platinum level of LEED for Homes certification. For those who are unfamiliar with this program, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a third party green building certification process created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 1998. Currently, there are over 7,000 buildings in the U.S. that have been certified under the program. It was designed to provide a framework for architects, engineers, builders, and building owners to identify and implement sustainable practices into the construction and operation of new and renovated buildings. It is based on a system of points that when verified add up to one of four different levels of certification - Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. The program covers all aspects of a project from site selection to water efficiency and material selection. The guidelines need to be integrated from the beginning of the project, as many points are achieved from pre-construction planning as well as practices employed during the construction process. Below is a video produced by USGBC on the program:

LEED for Homes: Certification Process from U.S. Green Building Council on Vimeo.

The LEED rating system has been used extensively in the reconstruction of Greensburg. Currently there are 5 LEED Platinum buildings as well as 1 LEED Silver and 1 LEED Certified building, giving Greensburg the distinct honor of having the most LEED buildings per capita in the U.S. (currently 1 for every 111 residents). Additionally, there are 5 more buildings awaiting certification at various levels, not including the Kiowa County Commons building nearing completion (going for LEED Platinum) and the Big Well Museum, which is in the planning process (going for LEED Platinum).

So far, there is only 1 other project in Greensburg that has been certified under the LEED for Homes program, Prairie Pointe Townhomes. (It should be noted that this project was also the first LEED for Homes project in the state of Kansas to achieve Platinum certification). During the planning process for Meadowlark, we wanted to be sure to participate in the Sustainable Initiative put forth by Greensburg, and also give visitors the opportunity to see in person what makes a home qualify for LEED. Participating in the process has been a great learning opportunity for us as we have gained (and are continuing to gain) firsthand experience with the program.

Throughout the construction progress, I will be covering the various practices and products that apply for the program. But to get started, I want to highlight the main categories LEED uses and some of the points we are striving for. (Please note that I am only covering certain parts of the LEED guidelines. There are many more strategies that are included in the program - and we are not guaranteed any points until the certification process is complete).

 Meadowlark construction site June 10, 2011

Innovation & Design Process

• Quality Management for Durability - We have identified potential durability risks to the home (such as water infiltration and termites) and integrated specific strategies into the planning to mitigate those risks.

• Innovative or Regional Design - We are expecting to achieve extra points for the use of extra thick walls.

Location & Linkages

• Site Selection - We should receive points for using a site that is outside a 100-year flood plain, is not a habitat for threatened or endangered species, and is not built on land that was previously public parkland.
• Community Resources - We will receive points for close proximity to community resources (such as banks, shopping and libraries). This aspect promotes walkable cities and neighborhoods.
• Access to Open Space - The home is located across the street from the future Big Well Museum and park.

Sustainable Sites

• Landscaping - We will be selecting drought tolerant and native plants to reduce water demand.
• Surface Water Management - The landscaping will be designed to manage rainwater runoff and erosion. Practices include using permeable paving.

Water Efficiency

• Water Reuse – A rainwater collection system has been designed into the house for landscape irrigation.
• Indoor Water Use - High-efficiency fixtures and fittings for toilets, sinks and showers will be selected to reduce indoor water use.

Energy & Atmosphere

• Optimize Energy Performance - The energy savings we expect to achieve through the use of Passive House will provide us with a significant number of points. The energy performance is based off a HERS (Home Energy Rating System) index rating.

Materials & Resources

• Environmentally Preferable Products - Points are achieved through the selection of materials with recycled content, low emissions (low volatile organic compounds, or VOCs), and those that are locally produced.
• Waste Management - We are tracking the amount of construction waste that is being sent to recycling facilities as well as to a landfill.

Indoor Environmental Quality

• Combustion Venting – Points are achieved for selecting appliances or equipment that do not use combustion and for properly venting those that do.
• Outdoor Air Ventilation - Our mechanical system is being designed to meet specific requirements for our climate.
• Air Filtering - Points are achieved for using the highest quality air filters as recommended by LEED.

Awareness & Education

• Education of Homeowner - We will create an operations manual describing best practices
• Public Awareness - The home will be open for tours, and will be rentable as a bed and breakfast, and will include signage and other educational materials throughout.

Sustainable homes – like LEED-certified homes – can have myriad benefits for your family, your environmental footprint, and your wallet. Generally, green homes are more comfortable and durable, more energy and water efficient, and have a smaller overall environmental footprint than conventional homes. This is why we are excited to be using this certification program; to experience these benefits and educate others about them as well.

To learn more about the features of Meadowlark House, visit our Chain of Eco-Homes page, or head to our Photo Library to see pictures of the construction progress. You can find previous posts on the project in our Blog Archive.