Activity 2.3.

4 Adding Up to Green
Introduction
The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) formed LEED, whose mission is to
transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built, and operated, enabling an
environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves
the quality of life. For residential construction, eight categories exist for which architects can
receive LEED credits. Building materials and innovative construction methods allow architects
the freedom to achieve credits from each of the eight categories. Architects use the LEED
program to guide the design of a structure that exists in harmony with the environment and its
occupants.

To effectively and efficiently design a green building, you must be aware of the design choices
that have a significant and direct effect on sustainability before design decisions are made. In
this way, an integrative design process in which all of the design and construction team
members can work together to improve building performance and design solutions that result in
economic, human, and environmental benefits. Beginning with identifying regional priorities
related to sustainable development and choosing a building site, each detail of a residential
design can affect the triple bottom line of development: people, planet, and profit.

In this activity you will explore the LEED Green Building Program, a program that rates the
sustainability of a building based on its design, construction, and ongoing operation and
maintenance. You will use the information you gather to inform design decisions related to your
Affordable Home that will result in a more sustainable residential building design.

Equipment and Resources

Engineering notebook
Computer with Internet access
New Construction GuidelinesHabitat for Humanity handout
LEED v4 for Homes Design and Construction Checklist
LEED v4 Homes Design + Construction Reference Guide, available at
http://www.usgbc.org/guide/homes or
http://www.usgbc.org/sites/all/assets/section/files/v4-guide-excerpts/Excerpt_v4_HOMES.
pdf
LEED v4 Homes and Multifamily Workbook, downloaded from
http://www.usgbc.org/resources/leed-v4-homes-and-multifamily-workbook-sample

Procedure
Investigate the LEED v4 program using the resources listed above. Note that detailed
descriptions of LEED v4 credit requirements are provided via links from the LEED v4 Homes
and Multifamily Workbook. Just click on the credit heading of interest.

1. Review the LEED v4 Building and Construction minimum program requirements. List the
requirements below and determine if the Affordable Home Project complies with the minimum
program requirements.

1. Must be in a permanent location on existing land

2. Must use reasonable LEED boundaries
3. Must comply with project size requirements

2. Determine the rating system that should be used for design and construction of the
Affordable Home Project.

Residential: LEED BD+C Homes and Multifamily Lowrise

3. Because larger homes consume more energy and produce more greenhouse gas
emissions, LEED v4 credits provide a Home Size Adjustment to reward more compact living
spaces. The adjustment is provided in the Energy and Atmosphere credit category. The project
can earn one point for every 4% decrease in conditioned floor area compared with the ENERGY
STAR for Homes, version 3, reference home as shown in the table below.
Conditioned Floor Area of ENERGY STAR Reference Home
Number of 1 2 3 4
Bedrooms

Conditioned 1,000 1,600 2,200 2,800

space floor
area (square
feet)

Conditioned 93 148 204 260

space floor
area (square
meters)

This is applied as a step function such that the home earns another point only after the
conditioned floor area exceeds the 4% threshold for the next point.
That is, if the home is 3.9% smaller than the reference home, it will not earn the point
adjustment (nor earn a partial point adjustment). If the home is 4% smaller, it will earn one point.
If the home is 7.9% smaller, it will still earn only one point. But, if the home is 8% smaller, it will
earn two points.
Home designs that include a conditioned floor area greater than the reference home lose one
point for every 4% increase in conditioned floor area. However, the allowable floor plan area for
each Habitat home insures that the conditioned floor area for the Affordable Home Project will
be less than the reference home. Follow the procedure below to mathematically model the
home size adjustment in a table, a graph, and using an equation. Then determine the LEED
home size adjustment for your Affordable Home design.
a. Calculate the threshold floor areas (in square feet) necessary in order to earn point
adjustments. The threshold floor areas for a one-bedroom home are shown in the table below.
Fill in the missing entries for a two-and three-bedroom home.
Point +5 +4 +3 +2 +1 point 0 points
adjustment (20% (16% (12% (8% (4%
decrease) decrease) decrease) decrease) decrease)

1 800 ft2 840 ft2 880 ft2 920 ft2 960 ft2 1000 ft2

2 1280 ft2 1344 ft2 1408 ft2 1472 ft2 1536 ft2 1600 ft2

3 1760 ft2 1848 ft2 1936 ft2 2024 ft2 2112 ft2 2200 ft2

4 2240 ft2 2352 ft2 2464 ft2 2576 ft2 2688 ft2 2800 ft2

A partial graph of the step function representing the relationship between the conditioned
floor area and home size adjustment for a one bedroom home is shown below.
This function can be represented algebraically with a floor function. Note that is referred to as a
floor function where f(x) is the largest integer not greater than x. So, as examples, f(1.5) = 1;
f(2.9 ) = 2; and f(17.9) = 17.

One-Bedroom Home Size Adjustment

where x = conditioned floor area and x 1000 ft2.

A one-bedroom home with a conditioned floor area of 890 square feet can be determined by
evaluating the function.

Since 2 is the largest integer not greater than 2.75, the home size adjustment is two points for a
one-bedroom home with a conditioned floor area of 890 square feet.
b. Sketch a graph of the step function to show conditioned floor area versus home size
adjustment for either a two bedroom or a three home with the number of bedrooms included in
your Affordable Home plan (two-, three-, or four- bedrooms).

c. Represent the step function (that you have shown graphically in part b above) algebraically
using a floor function.
d. Determine the home size adjustment for your Affordable Home based on the conditioned
square footage shown on your current floor plan. Show your work or explain your solution
process.

4. Individually assignment:
obtain a category from your group leader and research the LEED v4 credit category (or
categories) related to the design and construction of your Affordable Home.
LEED v4 Credit Category

Materials and Resources

Integrative Process and

Water Efficiency

Energy and Atmosphere

Indoor Environmental Quality

Location and Transportation

Sustainable Sites

5. Complete the following:

A
nswer the conclusion questions below.
 Review the Regional Priority (RP) credits available for the Affordable Home location,
Noblesville, IN. Build consensus and select target RP credits for the Affordable Home Project
that you propose to pursue/document that could potentially result in at least three points.
Complete a team LEED v4 Homes Design and Construction Checklist for the Affordable
Home Project. For each credit category (for which you have a corresponding design
professional) place an X in one of the left most columns (Y, ?, or N) to indicate the intent of your
team related to seeking points for each listed credit opportunity. As a group, with input from
each design professional, discuss how you intend to meet at least one identified credit under
each credit category (LT, SS, WE, EA, MR, EQ, RP) except Innovation, but including Integrative
Process. In the NOTES column, describe the requirements for each of the selected credits and
your design intent for your affordable home, that is, how you propose to meet the criterion to
earn the credit. Include any documents that support your application for LEED credit.

Conclusion Questions
1. What specific passive solar building orientation practices can earn LEED credit?

The solar panels must have 15 degrees east and west. The roof must be in an angle to collect
the most sun.

2. What types of sensitive lands should be avoided when choosing a site location in order
to obtain maximum LEED credit?

You should avoid farmland, flood hazard, animal invasion areas, land prone to natural disasters.

3. What basic landscape/site design practices can be followed in order to obtain LEED
credits? Consider both Sustainable Sites and Water Efficiency credits.

Remove portable drinking water. Reduce water consumption. Grow plants that can survive a
drought. Xeriscape landscape. Dig a well.

4. What types of fixtures should be specified for single family homes in order to gain LEED
credit for efficient indoor water use?

Residential toilets. You can have a timer for a faucet to limit the water use. Collect rainwater to
water plants.

5. What characteristics of windows, skylights, and doors affect the number of LEED credits
obtained for energy efficiency?

A large window to add more natural light.

6. What types of high-efficiency appliances should be specified for single family homes in
order to earn LEED credit for energy efficiency?

Use products by Energy star.

7. At what spacing should wall studs, joists and rafters be placed in order to earn LEED
credit for energy efficiency? Why would spacing of these components affect energy efficiency?
Frame walls with 2x6s on 24-inch centers because it saves more wood and leaves more
room for insulation.
Stack the framing because you can use a single top plate instead of a double top plate.
Place doors and windows on the grid because it reduces waste and leaves more room
for insulation.
Use less wood in the corners because corners work well with less wood and leaves
more room for insulation!

8. What is the baseline waste allowance for a two-bedroom home? What volume of
concrete does this represent? What volume of tree limbs and stumps does this represent? Note
that a typical residential construction dumpster (8 x 3.5 x 20) can hold 20 cubic yards of waste
material.

The baseline waste allowance for a two-bedroom home is 6,720 lbs. This represents 3.5 cubic
yards of concrete. This represents 6 cubic yards of tree limbs and stumps.

9. How many LEED points are possible in the Indoor Environmental Quality category for
each of the following situations:

A garage is not constructed?

A fireplace is not installed?
A shoe removal and storage space near the primary entryway, separated from living areas
without conventional carpet?
At least 90% of the site-applied paints and coatings, flooring, insulation, and site-applied
adhesives and sealants have been tested and meet the requirements of CA Section 01350?
2 pts
2 pts
2 pts
1 pt
2 pts

10. From a public relations perspective, why might a company want to have a high LEED score?
Getting a high LEED score makes your companys reputation good. You gain a profit by getting
a high LEED score because you use less materials and tax reduction. MONEY!