Green Built vs. LEED — what’s the difference?

Posted by Leann

It’s marketed everywhere… “built-green”, LEED certified, eco-friendly, etc. Its becoming very mainstream (thanks Brangelina!) and if you are in the market to purchase, you have probably taken notice of green practices in building. So, what is it and whats the difference between the two?

The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system is a nationally recognized rating system that sets benchmarks for the construction, design, and operation of green buildings. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in 5 areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

The major difference between LEED and built-green is that there is no rating system for built-green buildings. Building green is simply a practice, based off of the concept that design and construction practice should promote economic health and well-being for your family, community and the environment.

While at an inspection the other day this subject was being discussed by myself, my client, and our inspector, who brought up a great point. Most people tend to stay in their homes for 2-5 years, especially first time buyers. I haven???t dug up numbers to see what the pricing difference is on the average between a LEED certified (or green-built) home compared to one that isn’t. Let???s pretend it’s 4-5% higher. Does the homeowner actually end up saving that money over the time that they own the home? How much are they saving every month with low flush toilets, energy-star appliances, etc. Would it be better (and a softer hit to the checking account) to install these things on your own post-closing? Anyway, I thought it was an interesting question posed by the inspector.

Interesting to note, Vancouver (BC) is gearing up to require all private developments to be LEED Silver certified. Does anyone think Seattle should follow suit? I am also interested to hear what the consumer demand level is for built-green and LEED construction. How much more would you pay? Or is paying a premium a moot point? Is it simply an ethical decision for buyers?