LEED® - U.S. Green Building Council

U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is a non-profit coalition of leaders from across the building industry dedicated to promoting environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. USGBC developed LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) to establish a common standard of measurement and promote integrated, whole-building design practices. LEED is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable commercial buildings. Victoria Garden Mews LLC is registered under LEED for Homes.

LEED for Homes is a rating system that promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes. A green home uses less energy, water and natural resources; creates less waste; and is healthier and more comfortable for the occupants.

What are the benefits of a LEED home? LEED-certified homes are built with efficiency and health in mind, so they have the potential to save residents money on energy and water bills, reduce their carbon footprints and environmental impact, and protect their health. Based on Home Energy Rating System (HERS) tests performed on homes certified during 2008, the average home certified at the LEED-Certified level is predicted to have potential energy savings of up to 30% over homes built to International Energy Conservation Code, a widely used standard; the average LEED-Platinum home could use as much as 60% less energy than an IECC-built home. Many LEED homes gain certification in part due to a focus on indoor environmental quality. These homes typically have better ventilation, use paints and products that emit little or no dangerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and/or implement advanced moisture-control strategies, among other health considerations. The net cost of owning a LEED home is comparable to that of owning a conventional home.

The rating system awards points for performance in green design categories including: sustainable sites; water efficiency; energy and atmosphere; materials and resources; indoor environmental quality; and innovation and design processes. The USGBC (www.usgbc.org) awards certification at four levels: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum, based on compliance with a set of prerequisites and number of credits earned. Victoria Garden Mews LLC is registered with the goal of Platinum certification.