What is LEED for Homes?

LEED for Homes is a voluntary rating system that promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes, including affordable housing, mass-production homes, custom designs, stand-alone single-family homes, duplexes and townhouses, suburban and urban apartments and condominiums and lofts in historic buildings.
 
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is a program of the US Green Building Council (USGBC).
 
LEED for Homes focuses its standards in eight areas:
 

1. Indoor Environmental Quality:  LEED homes are designed to maximize fresh air indoors and minimize exposure to toxins and pollutants.
2. Energy Efficiency: LEED homes have the potential to use 20% to 30% less energy (and some up to 60% less energy) than a home built to the ICC standards for minimum energy efficiency.  
3. Water Efficiency:  LEED homes use innovative strategies to reduce a home's water use and find creative ways to reuse water.
4. Site Selection: LEED encourages homes that are close to schools, shopping, work and transit while maximizing your quality of lifve and reducing the amount of time you waste in traffic.
5. Site Development: LEED homes avoid destructive construction practices and have landscaping and other elements that protect the land where the home sits.
6. Materials Selection:  LEED homes use recycled, reclaimed and responsibly obtained materials everywhere possible.
7. Residents' Awareness:  LEED homes stand as an example to the community of a well-built home and encourages others to live the same.
8. Innovation: LEED incourages builders and designers to find innovative ways to increase a home's performance, taking into account local and regional needs and promoting durability for a long-lasting, comfortable home.