Now that we've discussed the LEED rating systems in general, let's take a look at the LEED for Homes rating system in greater detail.

The LEED for Homes Rating system is applicable to all new residential construction projects from single family homes to multi-family low-rise apartments, from custom high-end homes to affordable housing developments. LEED measures green homebuilding performance based on seven categories including: site selection, water efficiency, materials & resources, energy & atmosphere, indoor environmental quality, location & linkages, and innovation. Within each of these areas, projects earn points towards certification. LEED awards four levels of certification: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum, with Platinum representing the highest level of achievement.  LEED for Homes is also applicable to existing homes, provided that the home is undergoing a "gut" rehab, meaning that all exterior walls are opened to the last stud or block on at least one side to accomplish the required envelope inspection. For the homebuyer, LEED is like the nutrition label on the side of a box of cereal: It clearly identifies in measurable terms that the home has healthy, green, efficient features that have been third-party verified.

The LEED for Homes rating system does not mandate how you build your home although there are prerequisites to certification, instead, think of the system as a framework that helps you define your objectives, develop a plan to achieve your goals, and provides for 3rd party certification to ensure that your new home indeed meets your objective. There are certain prerequisites in each category, along with numerous credits available; as you achieve the credits, you accumulate "points" toward your final certification level. The number of points required to achieve each level is based upon a sliding scale and the scale considers the square footage of the home relative to the number of bedrooms. Naturally, a smaller home consumes fewer natural resources to build and maintain, thus a smaller home can achieve higher certification levels with fewer earned points. Likewise, a larger home designed to accommodate several generations of family may eliminate an additional residence so it very well could be as sustainable as a smaller home, thus the sliding scale was implemented.

All LEED rating systems utilize common certification levels, the basic level is "Certified", followed by "Silver", "Gold", and finally "Platinum", the highest level of certification granted only to the most exemplary homes in the country. These levels remain constant regardless of where the home is located, a Gold rated home in California may be built completely different than a Gold rated home in Florida, but the basic elements that determine the certification level are similar. LEED recognizes the environmental diversity of our country and accommodates and rewards the best practices based upon the local environmental conditions. The certification breakdown is as follows:

Upon making the decision to strive for LEED certification, the homeowner must decide if they prefer to undertake the certification tasks on their own, or acquire the assistance of a consultant. Either way, the builder or project manager starts by selecting a LEED for Homes Provider and reviews the project with the selected provider; once the decision is made to work together, the builder and project are registered with the US Green Building Council (USGBC), and a rater is subsequently chosen to perform the certification tasks. The project team starts by identifying the sustainability goals of the owner, and determines the specific strategies and systems integration that will be necessary to meet the goals. The team will then evaluate the initial home design to determine a "preliminary rating" based upon the existing plans, and then evaluate features and systems that can be added to achieve the desired level of certification. Typically, this process includes design charrettes and meetings with all stakeholders due to the extensive integration of systems. For instance, a change in insulation may affect the selection of the air conditioning system, a change in the a/c system may alter the design of the electrical system etc.

Once the design is thought sufficient to reach the desired level of certification, which typically includes a few extra points should something be disallowed during the final review, construction begins. It is important to note that there are no guarantees that the finished product will achieve any given level of certification, the outcome is based solely on the finished product and the results of the 3rd party verification. If your builder or consultant guarantees a specific outcome, it would be wise to re-evaluate their credentials

Green homebuilding often requires that the tradespeople learn new ways of doing things. Subcontractors are often unaware of the different installation practices that a green home requires, and the builder is encouraged to work with consultants who specialize in training tradespeople if their crews are not familiar with green construction.

Throughout the construction process, the Green Rater that works for the Local Provider will conduct on-site performance tests and inspections that are the essential foundation to maintain the vigor and integrity of the LEED program. At a minimum, there are two required inspections, one just prior to the installation of the drywall to ensure the integrity of the building envelope and insulation characteristics, and the other upon completion of the home. The final testing includes a "blower door test" that pressurizes the home and actually measures the leakage to ensure the integrity of the building envelope, a duct test to measure the leakage of the cooling system ductwork, and a refrigerant charge test to ensure that the a/c charge is correct based on the actual piping installed. There are also optional tests that can be performed to receive additional credits such as the outdoor air flow evaluation (the tighter building envelope requires a measurable amount of outside air be exchanged with stale indoor air to maintain the indoor air quality), exhaust air tests, and supply air flow tests. The Green Rater also works with the contractor should any changes be necessary throughout the construction project, and the Green Rater may have to rescore the home if significant deviations are made during construction.

Once the final testing is complete and documented, the Green Rater assembles the project documentation package for submission to the LEED for Homes Provider. This package includes the LEED for Homes checklist, completed and signed accountability forms, and the signed Durability Risk Evaluation Form and corresponding inspection checklist.

Upon submission from the Green Rater, the LEED for Homes Provider reviews and evaluates the package and presents the project to the US Green Building Council for their review. If everything is satisfactory, and the end result meets the intent, The USGBC awards certification and the Provider notifies the project team. The USGBC subsequently sends the official notification along with the LEED for Homes Certificate.

At this point, the homeowner knows that they have a home that was built with quality of material and workmanship as the highest priority, and they have the proof through independent 3rd party verification that the home was built as designed and is performing as expected. The family will enjoy the comfort of their new home for years to come.