LEED has made quite an impact in the green building world and more buildings are beginning to receive recognition for their designs. But how does LEED determine which buildings get to don the highly recognized plaque? They use a consensus-based point system that determines a building’s level of sustainability and ranks it accordingly.

LEED’s ranking system may not be an exact measure of sustainability, but it provides the structure necessary to evaluate the construction and operation of a building and its environmental impacts. The ranking system is built from six categories that are used to evaluate a design. Each category has a maximum amount of points that can be earned. Below is a description of these categories:
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Last week I took a tour of NEXUS, Boston’s Green Building Resource Center. An very knowledgeable employee of NEXUS, Shoshana Friedman, showed me around their new space on 38 Chauncy Street in Boston.

NEXUS is more or less the epicenter of green building resources for Boston, MA. It has a product showroom, a material and resource library, space for events, and provide a place for people studying for LEED certification. You can also take a tour of the building from their friendly staff!

I was curious if other similar green building centers exist. They’re a little hard to find—a quick search I did turned up one in Atlanta and one in Santa Monica (which is actually co-sponsored by Global Green USA). Let us know if your searches turn up other green building centers in different parts of the country.

In addition to serving as an educational resource to the building community, NEXUS is a working example of green products in use. They are currently in the process of being LEED certified under the Commercial Interior (CI) bracket. Here are a few “green” features that I found interesting:

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Architect, Sarah Susanka, has helped reduced the popularity of McMansions by introducing a quainter lifestyle, beginning with our homes.

Her book, ‘The Not So Big House,’ embraces the idea that less is more and that luxury does not have to mean excess. So what does this have to do with green and energy efficient homes? How can a smaller home work for you?

A small, modest home means less heat, less air-conditioning, and less lighting. A home with fewer square feet is more efficient because a smaller amount of energy is needed to run the A/C, provide hot water, and perform other energy consuming activities.

So what can we do to make the most of the space we have?

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Green homes can look modern and sleek, but what if you want a more traditional looking home? Like a craftsmen or a cape. Holistic Homes is building four green and energy efficient craftsman style homes in Woodstown, New Jersey that are big on style and luxury and small on cost and energy.

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Love that new car smell?

That smell actually comes from the upholstery and plastics in your brand new car. Many new materials and everyday products contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds) which enter the atmosphere and can affect our health and the environment.

So what exactly are VOCs, where can they be found and what can we do to avoid them? VOCs stands for volatile organic compounds and are typically human-made chemicals. According to the USGS, the word organic, though typically associated with healthy and natural products, actually means that the compound contains carbon.

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Is Radiant Floor Heating For You?

Radiant Floor Heating seems all the rage lately, but how does it work? Why is it used in green and energy efficient homes? And is it a better choice than a Forced Hot Air system?

Radiant Floor Heating can be installed under any type of floor but slab, tile, and masonry floors are the best because they store heat most efficiently. Hardwood floors also work well with a Radiant Floor Heating System, but carpet should be avoided because it essentially insulates the floor, reducing the heat that enters the room.

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Windows are important to the overall design of a home. They come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and styles in order to give our home the look we want. Windows also provide us with sunlight and beautiful views. But if you are planning on building a green or energy efficient home windows are also essential to the efficiency of the design. Is it possible to have the both of best worlds?

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A room used exclusively for taking off shoes and throwing down belongings is great during inclement weather or for a home with kids, but a mudroom is more than just practical. Mudrooms have also proven to be part of a healthy, green home. What is it about this entry room that makes our homes healthier and more efficient?

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