LEED Certified Casita, 2009 - under construction
This small eco home achieved Gold Level certification with the USGBC's LEED for Homes® rating system. The integrated team approach lead by the Palo Santo Designs construction management team was able to optimize a construction approach to achieve the LEED Certification at a very competitive cost to conventional construction.
With the cooperation of the property owner and our team of subcontractors we were able to attain a number of the LEED criteria points including:
- Integrated project team
- Durability management process
- Infill Site Selection
- Access to open Space
- Minimize disturbed area
- Basic landscape design
- Permeable lot
- Alternative pest control
- Rainwater harvesting
- High efficiency irrigation with third party inspection
- Very high efficiency plumbing fixtures and fittings
- ENERGY STAR rated
- Exceptional Energy performance (a HERS rating of 20)
- Solar Thermal technology for water and space heating
- 2.0 Kilowatt Photovoltaic system for solar electricity
- Efficient Hot water distribution with improved pipe insulation
- Zero CFC refrigerants
- Efficient framing techniques
- Environmentally preferable building materials
- Construction waste reduction and recycling
- Enhanced combustion venting measures
- Enhanced outdoor air ventilation
- Third party performance testing of the ventilation system
- Room by room air flow calculations and controls
- Better air filters
- Indoor contaminant control during construction
- Pre-occupancy air flush
- Radon resistant construction techniques
- Enhance training and awareness provided to the building occupants
The LEED for Homes certification process involved coordination with a LEED for Homes® Provider (in this case Albuquerque based Green Insight (505-242-2851), as well as close cooperation with our HERS rater and Green rater Dalinda Bangert of EcoTerra Enterprises (505-417-9053). The additional costs for administering this certification process were more than compensated for by the NM Sustainable Building Tax Credits which the property owner was able to secure as a result of attaining the LEED certification. As well the costs of the Solar Thermal and Solar Electric systems were significantly offset by state and federal tax credits up to about 40% of the upfront cost. Furthermore ongoing energy savings and REC (renewable energy credit) payments mandated by the net metering agreement with the local power utility will provide a payback period on the Solar equipment of about 8 years, after which REC payment s will provide continuing income to the owner into the future.
