LEED and REGREEN Certification
Adding Eco-Friendly Touches to your Home
A brief introduction to LEED and REGREEN certifications and some tips for improving your home.
If you’re really interesting in going green then getting a LEED certification is about as eco-friendly as you can get. LEED refers to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System. LEED is a nationally accepted rating system that evaluates the design, construction and operation of your home.
If you’re looking to get LEED certification for your home or business you’ll need to get independent, third-party verification that your project is up to snuff and conforms to established standards. There are LEED professionals, although it might take a little work to find one that has the proper accreditation to review your building.
If you’re looking to improve an already existing space then LEED can also provide you with the information you need. They’ve teemed up with the American Society of Interior Designers’ Foundation and the U.S. Green Building Council and come up with REGREEN. This collaboration is designed to increase the understanding of sustainable renovation and highlight the benefits of green decorating.
For those new to the concept, green decorating obviously isn’t incorporating as much of the luscious living hue in your home as possible, it’s about taking an environmental and eco-friendly approach to your home, workspace, or other structure. Green decorating and building can range from the type of building materials you use to construct your building, the energy your appliances use, the environmental conscious and philosophy of the company who supplies your products, all the way down to what linens you choose for your bedding. Green decorating really encompasses a number of areas and you can get as involved as you want. If you’re looking for a LEED certification though, you’d better plan on being super involved.
If you’d like to go green, but don’t quite have the budget to go LEED, then REGREEN’s guidelines might give you some ideas to help you make some environmentally sound decisions.
REGREEN suggests focusing on the kitchen as it is an area with the most opportunities to waste energy and one of the best ways to add an eco-edge to your home. They recommend adding more natural light and installing energy efficient lights and appliances. If you’re looking to go further, follow the guidelines for appropriate flooring, wall treatments, and paint.
A bathroom re-do is best when it focuses on the water. High performance water based equipment is essential and worth the added expense.
The bedroom usually doesn’t have a lot of eco-traps, but airflow is very important. You can increase your green quotient by looking at the materials in your bedroom and trying to incorporate more durable and eco-friendly ones.
Remember to take every project, step by step, one project at a time; otherwise you may get overwhelmed, as with any decorating project. Even REGREEN says, “Don’t try to do everything at once. It can be like trying to drink from a fire hose.”
