What is LEED?
LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally recognized green building certification system. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in March 2000, LEED provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.
Why LEED? – There are financial incentives. There are tax credits and abatements, fee reductions or waivers, grants, and other incentives. Read more about the incentives at http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=2078#market
Does LEED cover homes? I have seen information for commercial properties but not much on homes. A LEED-certified home is designed and constructed in accordance with the rigorous guidelines of the LEED for Homes green building certification program. LEED for Homes is a consensus-developed, third party-verified, voluntary rating system which promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes.
Watch a video on the benefits of a LEED home: http://vimeo.com/14613747
Can an existing home be renovated to get LEED certified?
AFTER LEED
Existing buildings of the commercial type are included in LEED BD+C, the core LEED standard, since it’s a fact that so much work has to be done to an existing building that virtually it is like constructing a new one.
So the same approach would be true of LEED for Homes – you would have to do major envelope overhaul with new windows etc.
To verify the quality of insulation for example you would have to open up the walls and install not only new insulation but an infiltration barrier too. You might find a local provider – unlike commercial LEED, Homes have to have a supervising third party – who would work with you and do the tests to try to get the house certified.
However, you have other alternatives, (i.e. you do not have to pursue LEED). With the Building Performance Institute (BPI) or HERS/Resnet inspections and rating systems, you can arrive at a more or less verifiable energy-saving profile that will give you quantifiable results.
You can read all about a foreclosed home that turned into a LEED platinum Home at: http://www.leedforhomesillinois.org/single-family/builder-takes-foreclosed-home-to-leed-platinum-905
BEFORE LEED
If I have a LEED certified Home how will that effect value?
Since there are not a lot of LEED homes to use as comparables this can be a difficult assignment for an appraiser that is not experienced with appraising green properties. The appraisers at www.socalappraisalserv.com are qualified to appraise green properties and are working with professors at UCSD and Calcerts to develop new valuation techniques to meet the growing green property trend. If you have any questions contact an appraiser at www.socalappraisalserv.com
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Green Real Estate Appraiser 