July 8th - 2009

Green homes LEED the way

The trend towards “green real estate” continues to accelerate as homebuyers, sellers and REALTORS® see the benefits of a more environmentally friendly living space.

The trend towards “green real estate” continues to accelerate as homebuyers, sellers and REALTORS® see the benefits of a more environmentally friendly living space.

The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) first introduced LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) in 2005 to Canadian developers of new commercial and institutional buildings. LEED certification offered a solution to climate change, while giving owners and tenants all the benefits a high performance green building provides. As of this spring with the introduction of the LEED Canada for Homes rating system, there is a LEED solution for residential builders.

According to the CaGBC, LEED is viewed across North America as the most rigorous third-party certification system for green buildings.

LEED Canada for Homes applies to new single-family homes or low-rise multi-family projects (up to three storeys). Among other features, LEED certified homes use less energy, water and natural resources; create less waste and provide a healthier and more comfortable environment for the occupants. Benefits of a LEED home include lower energy and water bills; reduced greenhouse gas emissions; and less exposure to mold, mildew and other indoor toxins. The CaGBC says the net cost of owning a LEED home is comparable to that of owning a conventional home.

For a new home to gain LEED certification, it must achieve performance measures in eight categories: Innovation & Design Process (ID); Location & Linkages (LL); Sustainable Sites (SS); Water Efficiency (WE); Energy & Atmosphere (EA); Materials & Resources (MR); Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ); and Awareness and Education (AE).

"The owners of new LEED-certified homes will enjoy the many comfort and health benefits of these homes, but they'll also save money, with a home that's up to 70 percent more energy efficient,” says Chris Higgins, LEED Canada for Homes Coordinator. “Plus the resale value will remain high as more home buyers look for the durability and high performance that a LEED home provides - a real edge in an uncertain real estate market."

In fact, the CaGBC cites a recent Nielsen survey which confirmed the willingness of potential homeowners to pay more for a green certified home. Of the more than 5,000 Canadian households surveyed, 85 percent of the respondents said that certification would play an important role in their home purchase decisions (for future purchases or if it was available for past purchases), and 82 per cent said they would be willing to invest more money in a home purchase if it was LEED certified.

Higgins says it’s important for REALTORS® to learn about LEED homes as more LEED certified homes appear on the market. “You may have a client with specific needs such as a child with asthma that could benefit from your knowledge of LEED home features,” he says. Although the current “LEED AP Homes” designation offered by CaGBC is geared towards builders and developers of LEED certified homes, Higgins says they plan to introduce a LEED – Associate designation in 2010. LEED Associate would appeal to professionals working in various areas of the housing industry including REALTORS®.

Existing houses may qualify
The CaGBC says the question often comes up; can I put an existing house through LEED Canada for Homes? “The short answer is yes as long as the home is undergoing a substantial renovation and the project meets all prerequisites,” says Higgins.

“One key goal of the LEED Canada for Homes program is the improvement of the thermal envelope quality, basically improving the insulation installation and reducing the number of leaks or thermal bridges. In more practical terms, as long as the home meets all the prerequisites then it can register with LEED Canada for Homes and work towards certification. Typically a project removes the drywall on the interior to expose the thermal envelope but another option is to remove the sheathing on the exterior of the home. So what this means is if a homeowner is doing a full gut and rehabilitation of an existing home they can contact a provider and register with LEED Canada for Homes.”

Homeowners planning a more modest renovation can check out the ecoEnergy program from Natural Resources Canada. Another resource is the Regreen guidelines for renovations http://www.regreenprogram.org/ from the US Green Building Council as it has a wide array of options to reduce water use, improve indoor air quality and create a more comfortable living environment with a smaller environmental footprint. These programs are aimed at improvements to existing homes, typically while the homeowners are living in the houses.

For more information about the certification program, visit www.cagbc.org/leed/homes/.

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Ontario Real Estate Association

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