LEED vs. Energy Star Ratings
Green Building Programs and Standards are emerging everywhere. While many are casually compiled and branded, there are a lot of strong programs out there. Two of the leading programs are LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and EnergyStar.
The LEED Program is a product of the USGBC (United States Green Building Council). I think the LEED is strong for two reasons: 1) it takes into consideration different building types - there are different LEED programs for Homes, Schools, Retail, Healthcare, and more; and 2) it considers a broad scope of Green Building objectives - including Materials & Resources, Water Efficiency, Site Sustainability, and Indoor Environmental Quality. In contrast, the LEED program has been criticized for 1) having limited emphasis on lifecycle analysis; and 2) demanding a higher implementation cost.
Energy Star, on the other hand, is a residential program that focuses primarily on energy efficiency and indoor air quality. This program appeals to homeowners because it evaluates and makes recommendations on improving the heating, cooling, and water systems within a home - all of these improvements will translate into savings on the energy bill. This government program also offers tax benefits to subscribers - another popular and tangible enhancement. Unfortunately, this program does not consider other Green Building objectives, like Material or Site Selection.
Have any of you been a part of one of these or another Green Building program? What was your experience like?
Author's Name: Lindsay Barczuk
Posted Date: April 17, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Lindsay Barczuk
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Tags: Comparison of green building programs, Energy Star, Environmental Sensitivity, Green Building, LEED
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I have been involved in both program, LEED for Homes was build on top of the Energy Star For Homes. They are not competing programs. In fact in LEED-H one of the requirements or options is that you have to meet Energy Star Standards on the energy effiency portion of the LEED certification. LEED is a great program but it does involve more knowledge, time and money, but is totally worth it, and energy star I believe is just a program that the results are pretty straight forward on return over investment. Additionally, you have the NAHB green program, which is very easy, and works as a steping stone towards the more advanced LEED program. The whole idea with Green Building programs is to move forward to a culture of becoming more environment councious and build more durable and sustainable buildings. For more information go to: www.usgbc.org, www.nahbgreen.org, www.energystar.gov or wwww.swher.com
Good luck and thanks for caring for our environment.
Posted by LJ Ruiz on April 18, 2008 11:15 AM
Thanks for input. It's always good to hear about these programs from the different perspectives of all involved parties.
Another great program we work with is BuiltGreen Colorado - www.builtgreen.org. They have developed their own checklist for residential green building projects. I'd recommend all of you checking out that site, as well.
Posted by Lindsay Barczuk on April 22, 2008 4:41 PM