Dear LEED User Readers,
Please receive our warmest greetings. We are Ibrid, a Peruvian service company that provides comprehensive resources and tools for sustainable design and construction for commercial, corporate and residential buildings. We provides a comprehensive range of services including initial diagnosis of buildings, implementation reports, LEED ® certification process, green products, energy modelling and audits, and sustainable design and construction.
We are evaluating the possibility of implementing the LEED for Homes International Pilot rating system for a residential project here in the city of Lima, Perú.
Our projects consists of remodeling an existing brick and wood structure located in a low-rise residential area. The current project area is 5,800 sq. ft approx. and it will be 7,100 sq. ft. approx. after the project is completed. We will be using concrete as our main structural material and drywall for all interior partitions and non-baring walls.
The project team has already taken into consideration most of the LEED credit categories, and both the studio and client are committed to building an entirely green home. We are implementing technologies such as photovoltaic panels, graywater reuse system, automatization for all lighting and electrical systems, between others.
We would like you assessment on the feasibility of the project and if there are any other project requirements for us to be aware before applying for the LEED for Homes International Pilot rating system
Looking forward on your thoughts,
Best Regards,
Sincerely,
Francesca Mayer, LEED Green Associate
Ann Edminster
founder/principalDesign AVEnues LLC
LEEDuser Expert
9 thumbs up
December 28, 2012 - 8:03 pm
Dear Francesca,
There are a number of aspects of LEED for Homes that were crafted based on specific aspects of the U.S. building industry. Recognizing this, the LEED for Homes International Pilot includes a mechanism for developing country-specific adaptations. This makes it possible for virtually any low-rise or mid-rise residential project, anywhere in the world, to participate in the program. From your description, it seems likely that your project would do very well in LEED for Homes. That said, it would be necessary to know a good deal more about your specific project as well as about how the building industry and building practices differ between the US and Peru, to provide a detailed and accurate response.
For example, one important aspects of certification is the requirement that the project exceed code-minimum energy performance by at least 15 percent, and provide energy simulation to demonstrate that it will do so. How this would be accomplished in Peru is something that would require some dialogue between your organization and the USGBC or a LEED for Homes Green Rater.
Best of luck with the project! It sounds quite outstanding.
Ann
Michael Miller
Project Architect236 thumbs up
January 2, 2013 - 11:59 am
Francesca,
Be sure to consider the Home Size Adjuster when estimating the potential LEED for Homes score. It will have a fairly substantial negative impact on the points score of a 7,100 SF house.