Chapter Four: Homebuilding
Environmental Considerations
in Building a New Home
When you’re building a new home, you’ll save money in the long run
if your home is built with environmentally friendly, energy-saving products.
However, with so many choices to
make and so many bills coming in, it is
not always easy to know what items are
energy priorities and which ones are
just green icing on the cake.
LEEDing by Design
To help homebuyers start with an
energy-efficient home from the get-go,
the United States Green Building Coun-
cil (USGBC) developed a rating system
called Leadership in Environmental
Energy Design, or LEED for short. LEED
promotes the design and construction
of high-performance green homes. A
green home uses less energy, water and
natural resources; creates less waste; and
is healthier and more comfortable 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. According to the USGBC,
the net cost of owning a LEED home is
comparable to that of owning a conven-
tional home.
