All I want for Christmas is Windows!

I was waiting to post until after all the windows were in, housewrap was up, and the roof was finished,
but as it feels like that is NEVER going to happen, here are a few pictures to tide you over!

With Tyvek housewrap installed and cement board siding creeping up one side, 

the front of the house is starting to show promise::

but the back of the house is another story . . .

HVAC is installed, though not running yet. Plumbing & electric are both currently being roughed-in.

 our piano will live in this bay window:

and our Christmas tree will go in front of these windows . . . next year.

LEED for Homes in a Nutshell

LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is an internationally recognized green building program.:

LEED is a voluntary, consensus-based, market­-driven program that provides third-party verification of green buildings. From individual buildings and homes, to entire neighborhoods and communities, LEED is transforming the way built environments are designed, constructed, and operated. Participation in the voluntary LEED process demonstrates leadership, innovation, environmental stewardship and social responsibility. LEED provides building owners and operators the tools they need to immediately impact their building’s performance and bottom line, while providing healthy indoor spaces for a building’s occupants.1

The LEED system is divided into several different subcategories called Rating Systems. Each Rating System is geared towards the unique needs of a project or building type.  In our case LEED for Homes was the obvious choice.  The rating system is really a checklist of credits which are opportunities and directions  for achieving certification. Other than the prerequisites and minimum point thresholds in certain areas, it is really a choose-your-own-adventure type system with projects earning various points for fulfilling credit requirements.  

In total there are 18 prerequisites and 67 credits available. I will go into greater depth into the credits our Burns project pursued in future posts, but for now, here is an overview of the eight credit categories:

1. Innovation & Design (ID) Process.Special design methods, unique regional credits, measures not currently addressed in the Rating System, and exemplary performance levels. 

2. Location & Linkages (LL). The placement of homes in socially and environmentally responsible ways in relation to the larger community. 

3. Sustainable Sites (SS). The use of the entire property so as to minimize the project’s impact on the site. 

4. Water Efficiency (WE). Water conservation practices, both indoor and outdoor. 

5. Energy & Atmosphere (EA). Energy efficiency, particularly in the building envelope and heating and cooling design 

6. Materials & Resources (MR). Efficient utilization of materials, selection of environmentally preferable materials, and minimization of waste during construction. 

7. Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ). Improvement of indoor air quality by reducing the creation of and exposure to pollutants. 

8. Awareness & Education (AE). The education of homeowner, tenant, or multifamily building manager about the operations and maintenance of the green features of a LEED Home.2

Pending the points total, projects can achieve various levels of certification: Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.  In the city of Cincinnati, projects that achieve LEED certification are eligible for a real estate tax abatement:  Since our Burns house is not in the city limits, we do not get any of these financial benefits, but are nonetheless proud of our anticipated achievement. Stay tuned for updates on our LEED progress, and for more information check out the video and link below!

https://new.usgbc.org/leed/rating-systems/homes

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1 https://new.usgbc.org/leed

2  LEED for Homes Reference Guide 2010