What Is L.E.E.D.?
What is LEED? The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is a certification program for the design and construction of green buildings. LEED promotes sustainable building practice and provides a standard to measure the performance of the building.
LEED Certification is based on a total point score after a review and audit. There are four levels of certification: certified, silver, gold and platinum.
Bluwood
Bluewood is a factory-applied wood coating system that is designed to resist moisture absorption — which can lead to mould and fungus growth and insects that eat wood — like termites. BluWood is environmentally friendly. The coating forms a water-repellant, semi vapor permeable film, which controls the moisture absorption, but still allows the wood to breathe. This helps the wood maintain normal moisture levels. The coating also resists mould and fungus growth, and is a fungicide and insecticide. All of which protects the wood from rot, mould, fungus and insects.
Basf Spray Foam Insulation
Closed cell spray foam insulation really helped this house to get LEED platinum standing. It helps with energy efficiency and indoor air quality. Spray foam creates that complete thermal break in the building envelope. It covers everything so there's no possibility of cold spots, voids or settling. There is no air movement between outside and inside, so there's no possibility of condensation that contributes to mould growth. It's also impervious to insects.
Solar Panels
The Make it Right house is powered by photovoltaic panels (PV) which convert light from the sun into electricity. These differ from solar thermal collectors — used on the Holmes on Homes Lien on Me project — which use the sun's energy to heat water for hot water or heating. The Solar PV panels generate electricity during the day that is used to offset the home's total electrical consumption. This saves money and it also helps the environment since solar offsets power that would have come from other conventional (and less environmentally friendly) sources.
Geothermal Technology
Geothermal technology uses the earth's renewable energy by extracting heat from underground through a system of tubing that's filled with a liquid refrigerant. The liquid absorbs the heat from the earth, which is then brought back into a heat pump inside your home. In hot climates, geothermal systems operate in reverse — heat is transferred from the house and back into the earth, where the cool ground absorbs the excess heat. Cool air is brought back up.