Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

MOKULUA HPB has partnered with the U.S. Green Building Council to promote and develop projects that conform to LEED for Homes (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) requirements, thereby earning a level of certification ranging from; Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum.  In order to achieve each level of certification, homes must meet various category credits; some of which are pre-requisites (mandatory) requirements, while others are voluntary opportunities for additional credit, earning projects a higher level of certification.  The following are the 8 credit categories that make up the LEED for Homes rating system;

-          Innovative Design Process (ID)

-          Location and Linkages (LL)

-          Sustainable Sites (SS)

-          Water Efficiency (WE)

-          Energy and Atmosphere (EA)

-          Materials and Resources (MR)

-          Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ)

-          Awareness and Education (AE)

Each category focuses on specific aspects of a given project and elaborates on the best practices for building the home.  LEED for Homes stresses these practices be reviewed, discussed and implemented during the design phase to ensure the greatest project efficiency and reduce retro-fitted solutions that often pose improbable when not planned appropriately.  Pulling a project team together early on is a great strategy to guarantee a successful project, delivered on Time, Target, Budget and Green!

LEED for Homes incorporates the Energy Star Program (www.energystar.gov) through the Home Energy Rating System (HERS); wherein the performance (energy efficiency) of the home is measured by the components, features and construction methods utilized.  A low HERS score indicates a more energy efficient homes.

At MOKULUA HPB, we believe the benefit of programs such as LEED for Homes are infinite.  Not just by improving the lives of the occupants but also promoting best practice in the construction industry and providing homeowners with a healthy, efficient and environmentally sound home.  A LEED certified home is more likely to;

+ include a highly involved and experienced project team committed to building a high quality, high performance home,

+ be built well above code standards; including water and energy efficiency, construction practices and environmental management,

+ mitigate durability issues ensuring the homes longevity,

+ have systems in place for highly improved indoor air quality and greater occupant health,

+ reduce or eliminate the negative impact on the environment during and after construction,

+ integrate energy efficient components thereby reducing the homes overall consumption,

+ utilize materials that are engineered, made from recycled content or are rapidly renewable,

+ reduce waste-water by incorporating low flow plumbing fixtures,

+ better protect against invasive pests,

+ greatly enhance the awareness of the occupants and others involved with the project,

+ promote the importance of green building.

For MOKULUA, it is our mission to change the building industry for the better one High Performance Home at a time; LEED for Homes works seamlessly in this approach and offers clients an option for a third-party certification of their High Performance Home by meeting the highest standards with a home that promotes a healthy life, a place to share and love, and a foundation for the continued pursuit of happiness.

For more information on LEED for Homes, the LEED for Homes Rating System and other data, please click on the following link; http://www.usgbc.org/leed/rating-systems/homes; for additional information on the U.S. Green Building Council please visit; http://www.usgbc.org/.