The United States Green Building Council has just announced that it is doubling its Local LEED for Homes Network. This program, which was launched in December 2007, is a national, third-party certification system that was designed to help developers, architects, and designers utilize LEED protocols in the building of new homes.
Over 500 homes have so far been designated as Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum LEED, and close to 13,0000 homes still under construction have registered with the network. Of course, this program is for new homes only, and due to current economic conditions, not as many new houses are being built. However, keeping in mind the millions of homes slated for construction in the next decade, it's remarkable that the amount of Local LEED application has been so small. How can so many homebuilders not be getting this?
There are several factors that contribute to the decision not to build green. But the movement isn't going away. It will soon simply be a way of life, and deciding not to take the proper sustainable steps is tantamount to putting a "going out of business" sign on a developer's door. Perhaps LEED may not be the only way to prove sustainability, but there are many methods available to build and promote healthier and smarter homes. At this point, if this choice isn't made, the choice is going to made for any developer anyway. And it may not be the one they would prefer.
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