LEED-Certified Homes

Top 4 Advantages of LEED-Certified Homes

Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) is an international standard to rate commercial buildings to employ sustainable building practices. This certification is administered by Canada Green Building Council (CaGCB), which was introduced to provide a holistic approach to the green building movement. These buildings’ rates measure the industry’s transformation and its effects on the people around them. They are mainly employed to provide a safe and secure environment inside and outside the house.

Although the entire movement has been around for a long time, LEED homes were introduced first in 2009 and are now applied to all single-family dwellings or multi-story homes up to three units. These homes should meet standards different from conventional buildings that employ sustainable, efficient, and healthier energy-efficient homes.

LEED Homes

Benefits of LEED Homes

It is a no-brainer that LEED-certified homes are non-hazardous to the environment and will help reduce non-reusable energy. There are other added benefits as well.

Promotes health

LEED Homes promote the health and well-being of the people living inside by allowing maximum fresh air to circulate in the house and minimizing toxins in the following ways:

  • They help decrease air pollution and provide ample ventilation by burning fewer fossil fuels.
  • These homes are generally located near community centers and along public transit lines, which allow residents to reduce their commute and increase the demand for the use of bikes, cycles, and public transport for the commute.
  • Using combustion venting and advanced combustion venting helps reduce toxins like carbon monoxide in the atmosphere.
  • These homes are generally no smoke zones which also prevents second-hand smoke.
  • The products used in these homes emit fewer volatile organic compounds essential for a healthier body.

Improves savings

LEED homes use sustainable methods to help reduce the cost of energy using alternative resources and fewer resources for daily activities. The potential energy reduction for different levels of LEED homes are:

  • Up to 30% for all LEED-certified homes
  • Almost 30% of all Silver certified LEED homes
  • Nearly 48% of all gold-certified LEED homes
  • Up to 60% for all platinum-certified LEED homes

Reduces ecological footprint

Since all LEED-certified homes pass third-party inspections, they are often modernized in their durability and design compared to conventional homes. In addition, since they use non-toxic, local, recycled, and reclaimed construction materials, they help reduce the overall ecological footprint and enhance their performance.

Increases value of homes

Since all LEED homes are green, they are resold at a more excellent value when compared to traditional houses. According to researchers, between 2007 and 2012, California saw a 9% hike in home resale value across all green homes. In addition, these homes can also qualify for tax breaks, discount insurance, and other benefits. For instance, the co-operators insurance offers almost 10% insurance for all LEED-certified homes.

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