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The LEED rating for homes is designed to encourage the construction of "green" dwellings that use fewer resources and generate less waste. Here is a sampling of the features required for certification: 1. Avoid environmentally sensitive sites and farmland. 2. Build within a half-mile of existing water and sewer lines. 3. In landscaping, use droughtresistant plants and avoid invasive varieties. Plant trees to provide shade. 4. Use water efficiency systems that harvest rainwater (for example, by installing a rooftop garden) and reuse "gray" water from sinks and showers. 5. Meet or exceed requirements of Energy Star for homes, a government backed efficiency rating covering insulation, windows, ducts, heating, cooling, lighting and appliances. 6. Use tightly sealed shared surfaces between garage and home to contain pollutants from motor vehicles. 7. Use carpets, paints and wood finishes that are low in harmful vapors called volatile organic compounds. 8. Use highefficiency toilets, showers and faucets. Source: U.S. Green Building Council
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