Dec 21 - McClatchy-Tribune Business News Formerly Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News - Kiera Hay Albuquerque Journal, N.M.

When LEED for Homes, a green home-building program developed by the Washington, D.C.-based US Green Building Council, is launched next summer, supporters hope it becomes the gold standard of the green housing industry.

New Mexico analysts are taking a wait-and-see approach, however, as they evaluate the program's potential and its high cost in the Land of Enchantment.

"I think the interest in green building is high (in New Mexico); I think interest in LEED for Homes specifically is low," said Jack Mizner, president of the state's Green Building Council chapter. "I think it's going to start off slow and the value will have to be proven."

The goal of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program, which started in 2000 with a focus on commercial construction, is to help the mainstream building industry move toward sustainable construction and design practices. Structures are awarded green status after testing conducted by a LEEDendorsed third party.

The branch into home building was an obvious fit, said Emily Mitchell, assistant program manager for LEED for Homes. "The amount of resources that are used by residential homes is staggering," she said.

A pilot program began a little over a year ago. The procedure for testing and rating residences is based on the formula used for commercial structures, with houses given points in the following seven areas: location and linkages, sustainable sites, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality and homeowner awareness.

Depending on the number of points a home receives, it earns certified, silver, gold or platinum status.

Nationally, about 210 builders working on 1,600 units of single- and multifamily housing are participating in the pilot, and the official LEED for Homes program is expected to launch next summer.

"We have exceeded our expectations by a good amount," Mitchell said.

"Providers" who act as the Green Build Council's administrators across the country are the heart of the LEED program. Their responsibilities include the testing and inspection of homes and providing technical support to builders. All "have demonstrated excellence in home green building," Mitchell said.

"The providers are able to be on-site and on the ground with builders," she said.

There are 12 providers in the pilot program, but none is located in New Mexico. In fact, the state's only LEED for Homes project -- a residence on the Navajo Nation -- is being coordinated and built by Arizona contractors.

Proponents claim green homes use less energy and water, reduce exposure to toxins such as mold and produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions, among other benefits.

The USGBC estimates there are 70 green building programs in the United States, but they say that LEED requires the best documentation and thirdparty verification. The advantage of LEED certification, supporters say, is that owners can be certain their house actually possesses eco-friendly features.

And LEED homes are arguably the cream of the crop, geared toward the top 25 to 30 percent of green buildings, said Stace McGee, principal of Environmental Dynamics Inc. in Albuquerque and past president of the USGBC's New Mexico chapter.

"The third-party verification gives the homeowner peace of mind that the home is the best they can buy," said McGee, whose company is working on a LEED for Homes project in Florida.

"The big picture for a consumer is the fact it (LEED) is a national bestpractices industry. It is a third-party verification program. It assures the consumer that what they're paying for, the home will produce up to the standards," Mitchell said.

Expensive venture

One reason New Mexicans involved with green building are cautious about the LEED for Homes program is the enormous amount of money it can take to build such a house. McGee estimated that a LEED certified home could cost up to $50,000 more than a conventional house, with final certification alone costing between $500 and $3,000, depending on the size of the house and factors including the level of certification achieved and the provider's travel costs.

"I think you have a lot of people in New Mexico that have a want but not the means to pay for it," McGee said.

Costs could decline as the program becomes more established, Mitchell said.

"We expect that as there are more providers, and those providers move up the learning curve, those fees will be lessened," she said.

The Home Depot Foundation has provided LEED with funding that has allowed affordable housing to be included in the pilot program, and 12 such projects -- which includes New Mexico's sole LEED home -- are in the works. The USGBC also is working with other affordable housing groups and is committed to ensuring that a range of homes achieve LEED certified greeness, Mitchell said.

"It is not elitist. The intention is to transform the marketplace. Big steps will transform the marketplace," McGee said.

Local LEED provider

The Green Building Council will issue a request for additional providers within weeks and expects to add at least 10 by the time the program is launched next summer.

McGee said plans are in the works to coordinate at least one New Mexico provider team, which would be enough to serve the entire state. Potential applicants are located in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, he said.

The LEED for Homes rating system is still being reviewed and refined but should be completed soon. After an online posting that allows public comment, USGBC members will vote on whether to adopt the system.